Replies

Donations

Local Houston organizations are accepting donations for hurricane victims. Here are ways you can help:

• The Houston Food Bank needs volunteers and paper goods, cleaning supplies, bottled water, peanut butter, heat-and-eat foods, single-serving foods and snacks that don't require refrigeration, and cash. Information: 713-223-3700 or houstonfoodbank.org/katrina.htm.

• KSBJ-FM and the Greater Houston YMCA are collecting prepaid grocery, gasoline and phone cards. Donations will be accepted today at Sharpstown Mall, Thursday at Memorial City Mall and Friday at Almeda Mall, noon-7 p.m. each day. Houston-area YMCAs will accept cards through September.

• The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will conduct a special collection at weekend Masses. Funds will go to Catholic Charities USA.

• The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston is accepting tax-deductible donations at www.houstonjewish.org or Jewish Federation of Greater Houston Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund, 5603 S. Braeswood, Houston, TX 77096.

• The Islamic Circle of North America is taking donations at www.icna.org and by mail at ICNA, P.O. Box 572181, Houston, TX 77257.

• The West Houston Church of Christ, 17100 West, is collecting phone, gas and grocery cards through September for distribution to Red Cross shelters. Call 281-856-0001 or visit www.westhoustonchurch.org.

•The Katy Chamber of Commerce, 2501 S. Mason, Suite 230, Katy, is taking donations of goods and services. Visit www.katychamber.com or call 281-828-1100 for more information.

• Nationally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a list of organizations accepting cash donations and or volunteers. To see the list, visit www.fema.gov and click on "How to help."

Going home

• For information about what roads are passable in Louisiana, you can call the State Police Road Closure Hot Line at 1-800-469-4828 or click on ww.ohsep.louisiana.gov/ evacinfo/rdclosureindex.htm.

• To find out about conditions in your home parish, you can find a listing of homeland security and emergency preparedness offices and telephone numbers at www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/Parish/parishoepnumbers.htm.

Disaster aid

• To apply for federal disaster aid, call the Federal Emergency Management Agency at 800-621-3362; for hearing/speech impaired, TTY 800-462-7585. You can also apply online at www.FEMA.gov.

Shelters

• The American Red Cross of Greater Houston opened two new shelters Tuesday: Memorial Baptist Church, 600 W. Sterling, Baytown; and St. Peter Claver, 6005 N. Wayside, Houston.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Red Cross shelters at the Mont Belvieu Senior Center, 11607 Eagle Drive, and the Baytown Community Center, 2407 Market, Baytown, were full.

The hotline number is 866-GET-INFO.

• The Star of Hope homeless shelter will keep its facilities open all night and day to feed and house Katrina victims. The locations: The Women & Family Emergency Shelter, 419 Dowling (713-222-2220); The Men's Development Center, 1811 Ruiz (713-227-8900).

• The Salvation Army East Harris County has opened a shelter at 2732 Cherrybrook, in Pasadena. Phone: 713-378-0020.

Free lunch

• The Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, 12955 Memorial, will serve a hot lunch to families displaced by Katrina today through Friday. The lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day in the church gym. For more information, call 713-468-8356.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3332401