Dear fellow WAVES,

All week, I've been tearfully watching the news and the efforts to help the Hurricane victims, as I'm sure most of you have. I was trying to think of ways I could help from where I am. The faces of those in need have been so overwhelming. This could happen to any one of us. Though it might not be a hurricane, it could be a fire, earthquake, flood, tornado, ice storm, volcanic event, tsunami or terrorist attack. We are all vulnerable and we are children of God that need to help one another.

Even if you don't have cash to donate to a charity, you can still make a difference. Most of us have more "stuff" than we know what to do with. We're talking about untold thousands of people who have lost everything. Here is a list of ten ideas of how we can help:

1. Cash donations to a charity helping with the relief effort. The Salvation Army, the Red Cross, and Operation Blessings are a few that come to mind. I've included the links to their websites:

www.salvationarmyusa.org/USNSAHome.htm

www.redcross.org

www.ob.org

2. Have your own, or a collective yard sale with neighbors and donate the proceeds to charities helping Hurricane survivors.

3. Let your kids be involved and help them run a lemonade stand to raise money. My friend's kids did this and raised $150 and donated it through a local bank who matched their donation. Even little kids did their part to raise $300.00. That's amazing!

4. Start a donation drive at work and see if you can get your company to pledge a matching amount.

5. Sell valuable items on eBay and donate the proceeds.

6. If you're a crafter, get your friends together, create a benefit boutique, and donate the proceeds.

7. Organize a charity benefit through organizations you're involved with and advertise that proceeds go to charities helping Katrina victims.

8. Animal lover like me? You can donate to charities helping our furry, feathered and scaled friends who have been displaced and affected by this tragedy also. Here's the link to the PetSmart website:

www.petsmart.com (click on the link about Hurricane Katrina)

9. Come up with your own creative ideas to help hurricane victims and email all your friends.

10. Pray for the rescue workers and victims of this tragedy.

Help starts with each of us individually and grows to a powerful force as we unite to help others.