Hurricane Harvey: How Prince George's County Residents Can Help

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Prince George's County is far from the devastation in Texas following Hurricane Harvey. But the storm affects all of us, as Harvey has already left an undeniable mark that will go down as one of the worst storms in United States history.

So what's the best way to help?

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials say donating to a trusted charitable group can ensure contributions go where they're needed.

You can drop off donations with your local charity, but don't go before checking what's needed first. FEMA urges donors to not drop off used clothing, random household items, medicine or perishable food at this time. This means staff would turn some attention away from the hurricane survivors to sort through the items.

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Residents can start local food and clothing drives after checking with a verified disaster relief organization what is needed and how to collect donations.

Unfortunately, with all of the good people wanting to help, there are scammers. Officials offer the following tips when making donations:

• Do not respond to spam incoming emails or click on links contained in the messages.
• Do not assume everyone stating they are hurricane survivors or officials are always who they say. They may ask for donations via email or social media.
• Verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by using online resources that may assist in confirming the group’s existence and its nonprofit status, rather than following a link to the site.
• Be cautious of emails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than allowing others to make the donation on your behalf.
• Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions. Providing this information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
• If you are solicited by a charity, don’t feel rushed or pressured into making an immediate commitment. Ask the caller or solicitor to provide written information about the charity’s programs and finances before you make a contribution.

The state of Texas is also urging volunteers to not show up unexpectedly. Those that would like to volunteer can contact the following organizations:

• American Red Cross 1-800-HELP-NOW
• The United Way, 1-800-272-4630
• National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
• Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster

However, Texas code allows currently employed, licensed health care officials from other states to practice in Texas until the emergency ends. Hospitals must submit to the applicable licensing entity the provider’s name, provider type, state of license and license identification number.

The category 4 storm made landfall late Friday, damaging areas from Corpus Christi to San Antonio, Austin, Houston and all the way to the Louisiana state line. Now classified as a tropical storm, Harvey's death toll has reached 15, which includes a Houston police officer who drowned. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Tuesday morning that rescue efforts continue to be the top priority of the city.

Houston is a sea of human misery after epic, unprecedented rains turned the city of 2.5 million into a rising swamp. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images News/Getty Images)