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Governor Ernie Fletcher’s Communication Office
Cash donations the best way to help hurricane relief at this time
Donations to agencies will help get needed supplies to those impacted by Katrina
FRANKFORT, Ky. - Even before Hurricane Katrina hit the Florida and Gulf Coasts, Kentuckians have kept phone lines busy asking how to get involved and volunteer for the relief effort.
Because of this outpouring of support, the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security and the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management remind potential volunteers to contact their local emergency management agencies to get involved. The best form of assistance at this time comes in the form of cash.
Those interested in volunteering should not head south to help in disaster areas without receiving formal direction from their local emergency management agencies. Those who travel without first receiving direction may be turned away by relief efforts in the affected areas.
"We would like to thank the thousands of Kentuckians who are signing up to volunteer in the wake of this devastating hurricane," said General Maxwell Clay Bailey, director of the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management. "But we also want to ensure these efforts take place in the areas that need the greatest amount of help, and local emergency management agencies will help Kentuckians do that."
Individuals wanting to make donations are asked to consider doing so through their favorite charitable organization.
"As requests come in, private agencies play a major role in the recovery effort and provide much needed support," said Steve Oglesby, Kentucky Emergency Management's Area 14 manager. "However, these agencies have limited resources and often depend on donations from the public to fund their programs. Past experience has shown us the public can actually be generous to a fault by providing items that are not immediately needed or require special needs. The best and most productive donation can be made in the form of cash."
Steve Oglesby, who also serves as a representative of Kentucky Organizations Active in Disaster (KyVOAD) will be the point of contact for all agencies if anyone is deployed or needs additional resources. He can be reached at (502) 607-1647.
For more information on the relief effort and how you can get involved, contact the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management's Donations Management Call Center at 1-800-618-1689.
Following is a list of charitable agencies which are coordinating efforts with the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management.
American Red Cross
Franklin County Chapter
318 Washington Street
Frankfort, KY 40601
Email: arcfranklin@redcrossfrankfort.org <mailto:arcfranklin@redcrossfrankfort.org>
Phone: 502-223-1795
Fax: 502-223-8380
Web site: http://www.redcrossfrankfort.org
Angel Flight
Point of contact: Steve Patterson
Phone: 866-380-1910
Email: steve@angel-flight.org <mailto:steve@angel-flight.org>
MISSION: Organization consists of private pilots with their own planes that provide over flights and high priority cargo.
Council of Churches
Point of contact: Chris Skidmore
Phone: 859-269-7715
Email: kidrp@kycouncilofchurches.org <mailto:kidrp@kycouncilofchurches.org>
MISSION: Fund raising organization and coordinating organization.
Christian Appalachian Program
Point of contact: Sherrie Buresh
Phone: 606-308-9234
Email: sburesh@chisapp.org <mailto:sburesh@chisapp.org>
MISSION: Organization has warehouse of cleaning supplies, repair materials and will assist MS, AL and LA once KY operations are cleared.
Indiana/Kentucky Conference United Church of Christ
Point of contact: Mariana Speller
Phone: 317-409-3993
Email: louismaryanna@juno.com <mailto:louismaryanna@juno.com>
MISSION: Organization provides long-term recovery to include clean up kits and clean up support to include personnel.
KY ReAct (Radio Emergency Associated Communication Teams)
Point of contact: Tom Curry
Phone: 502-935-5113
Email: n4aof@arrl.net
MISSION: Amateur radio operators and can provide emergency communications
Salvation Army
Point of contact: Jim Garrett
Phone: 502-671-4920
MISSION: Salvation Army can provide mobile canteens and clean up kits. They have approximately 2000 packaged meals on hand and cleaning supplies. They also provide pastoral care.
The Salvation Army - Kentucky/Tennessee Divisional Headquarters
214-216 W. Chestnut Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 502-583-5391
Fax: 502-625-1199
The Salvation Army of the Central Kentucky Area
736 W. Main Street
Lexington, KY 40509
Phone: 859-252-7706
United Methodist Committee on Relief
Point of contact: Charles Douglas
Phone: 606-436-3513
Cell: 606-438-1014
Email: bmumc@alltell.net
MISSION: Organization provides early response team with an early response vehicle with generators and 8-9 people who can do debris removal and early assessment. They also do pastoral care.
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