The epic nature of the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey has been well reported. As bad as it has been these past few days, it’s going to get worse, as the flooding crests, before it gets better.
Our nation’s response to disasters has alway been laudable, we’re in the habit of stepping up to the plate, as individuals and as organizations, to help disaster victims in the ways that we can.
However, you may be familiar with what those who work in the disaster recovery field refer to as the “2nd disaster.” The outpouring of well intended donations of various goods (food, clothing and more) that is mismatched with what’s actually needed on the ground. The scale of mismatched donations wind up utilizing precious resources (time to sort through what can be used, what can’t, valuable storage space and transportation assets) that help no one.
With this in mind, the #GiveHealthy team has been planning a healthy food drive as our contribution to the relief effort. We’ve been coordinating with Feeding America to ensure that the food people donate matches what’s actually needed to help out. Armed with the right information, we’re providing an opportunity for people anywhere in the country (anywhere in the world, for that matter), to make a food donation that really counts, that will provide relief to people impacted by Harvey in a very direct way.
Our focus is to raise food that supports the long recovery tail of the disaster. The first responder community has done and will continue to do a great job in the days ahead. But as they complete their tasks, there remains an incredible need in the weeks and months that follow while the recovery process occurs.
The #GiveHealthy community has grown by leaps and bounds this year with a growing number of Partners, Advisory Board members, Ambassadors and more. We’ve been preparing for an incredibly busy fall food drive season and still have much to do. But disasters happen when they happen and we all do what we can to chip in and help. And what the #GiveHealthy community can do, right now, is come together to support the Harvey relief effort with health food donations.
We’re launching our drive today and hope you will consider participating by making a healthy food donation, by sharing information about our drive with your community or both. You can make a donation here.
The Feeding America Network will direct food donations to the food banks serving the recovery effort, in both Texas and Louisiana, in these upcoming weeks and months – to the places where they can have the best impact.
What we know from the “2nd disaster” effect is that many people really like to help out by donating tangible goods. #GiveHealthy will provide them a way to donate food specified by those on the ground, so that well intended donations will have the desired effect and we’ll avoid contributing to the “2nd disaster.”
