Sep 17, 2013

Help Flood Victims in Louisiana

Relentless flooding has devastated southern Louisiana, now a federal disaster area. Following severe storms, rising waters have killed at least seven, destroyed countless homes and forced tens of thousands to flee for their lives – including staff from the local Jewish Federation and many from the local Jewish community.

The Greater Miami Jewish Federation is joining with Jewish Federations across North America to raise funds to support the Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge as they meet urgent needs both in the Jewish and general communities. Through The Jewish Federations of North America, we will continue to monitor the situation and assess needs.

Donations to assist victims of flooding in the Baton Rouge area so far lag behind the response to other recent large-scale natural disasters, highlighting the need for nonprofits to have more reserve funds at hand before catastrophes strike — and be ready to quickly get the public’s attention to help boost fundraising.

The Red Cross has received about $7.8 million in donations and pledges so far, much lower than the $30 million the charity has estimated it will need to address the emergency. That estimate may grow as more damage is assessed, Red Cross officials said. The nonprofit said in a statement that it has mobilized the "largest sheltering and feeding effort since Superstorm Sandy," with the Red Cross and its partners serving more than 260,000 meals and snacks and offering 40,000 overnight stays so far.

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation has raised $750,000 online in the past week and secured about $2 million more in pledges — paling in comparison to the $10 million it raised in the week following Hurricane Katrina. Total fundraising for the foundation reached $45 million in the months following the 2005 storm, a spokesman said.

The Salvation Army has raised about $451,000 in the wake of the flooding and has received pledges of $1.5 million. A local chapter of the organization is still recovering after experiencing flooding, as is a food bank and other area nonprofits, local officials said. Many staff members at organizations that would have responded to the disaster were also been impacted by the flooding, creating challenges for response efforts, Ms. Vermilyea said.

If you would like to join in the relief effort, click here to make a secure donation online now.

One hundred percent of all contributions to this fund will be directed through The Jewish Federations of North America to support Baton Rouge Flood Relief. Checks also may be mailed payable to:

Greater Miami Jewish Federation
4200 Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, Florida 33137

Please note “Baton Rouge Flood Relief” in the memo area of the check. For more information, call 305.576.4000.