Help the Oklahoma Tornado Victims

There are scores of images and videos of the devastation from Monday's tornado that ravaged the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore. The death toll now is at 24 people, several of them children.

The reports leave many people in Gulfport and across the nation wondering how they can help.

Here are five easy ways to give through well-known charitable organizations:

1.) The Sun Coast Community Foundation of Florida recommends that people give through its sister organization, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

• Contributions to the Oklahoma City Tornado Recovery Fund can be made online at https://www.occf.org/onlinegiving.html. 

• You can mail checks, made out to the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1146, Oklahoma City, OK. Note that money should go to the Oklahoma City Tornado Recovery Fund.

2.) The foundation also encourages contributions to the American Red Cross, which helps survivors meet basic needs after natural disasters. The organization makes donating easy, according to Janet McGuire, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross:

• To donate online, go to www.redcross.org.
• Text "REDCROSS" to 90999. A donation will be charged to your phone bill.

3.) Here is the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief's website to target your donations directly where they are needed.

4.) United Way of Central Oklahoma’s Disaster Relief Fund is open and accepting donations. Go online to www.unitedwayokc.org, or send checks by mail to United Way of Central Oklahoma, P.O. Box 837, Oklahoma City, OK  73101. Note that your donation is for "May Tornado Relief."

5.) Click here for a list of other organizations offering assistance.

Get the Gulfport Patch newsletter delivered to your email for free. Sign up here.