Recovery efforts are underway in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore after a deadly, 1.3-mile-wide tornado carved a 20-mile-long swath of destruction through neighborhoods and schools on Monday afternoon. With winds up to 210 miles per hour and a death count that currently stands at 24, President Obama has declared this tornado to be “one of the most destructive in history,” ranking it at a Category 5.
In an effort to help, Architecture for Humanity and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) have mobilized their teams to provide instant assistance and aid in long term reconstruction efforts. Although professional design and construction volunteers from both organizations are already on the ground, the community needs your help. Find out how you can help the residents of Moore after the break.
As the AIA has stated, “If you live in Oklahoma, the best way to get involved is to be active with official emergency management and your state and local AIA chapters. If you are not in Oklahoma, we urge you to become involved in your own chapter to be trained as a Building Evaluator through the Safety Assessment Program, advocate for stronger codes, and use your design skills to envision more resilient communities.” More information about the AIA's Disaster Assistance and Resilience program can be found here.
If you aren’t in the region, here are the additional ways you can help:
- Donate to the Architecture for Humanity’s campaign Rebuild Moore on their website or by texting “rebuild” to 85944 for a $10 USD minimum donation.
- Help provide food, shelter, water and basic supplies to victims and first-responders at the scene of a disaster through Red Cross by making a donation online or texting REDCROSS to 90999.
- Provide meals, drinks and household cleanup kits for those affect at The Salvation Army’s website or texting STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation.
- Donations may also be made online through the United Way of Central Oklahoma’s Disaster Relief Fund, who plans to distribute the funds without administrative fees to United Way Partner Agencies working on the tornado relief efforts. The May Tornado Relief Fund will serve both immediate needs, intermediate, and long-term care.
- Feed the Children is an Oklahoma City-based charity that helps the needy in the United States and more than 15 other countries. Donations are said to help bring relief supplies to the tornado victims.
- Learn how you can assist the Oklahoma Humane Society’s mission to assess and provide shelter to animals affected by the tornado here.
- The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is also taking donations to provide food and water to those in need. You can text FOOD to 32333 to donate $10 to the group.
- Contributions to the Moore & Shawnee Tornado Relief Fund can be made online to the Tulsa Community Fund at www.TulsaCF.org.
Stay up-to-date with Rebuild Moore on twitter @archforhumanity and @afhdisasterteam (#rebuildmoore).
References: The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Architecture For Humanity, The Denver Channel, AIA
