Pakistan Flood Relief: How You Can Help...

Dangling Feet, Kerala; Courtesy of Taylor Davidson on Flickr

Shocking: The floods in Pakistan are affecting more than six times the number of people affected by the Haiti earthquake. I’ve been looking for ways to give back to help Pakistan. Where to give, where to donate, where to direct people and I came across a few great lists and posts, especially one from The Women’s Conference blog. There is a lot of dialogue about why more people haven’t stepped up to help Pakistan, especially this article from the BBC which points to everything from the media portrayal of Pakistan to threats of terrorism. But let’s be honest, people hurting need the help of those who have the ability to help. Those who are displaced have nothing. Think about what hardship they are certainly experiencing and then please consider taking a moment to donate what you can or help spread the word.

The flooding – which has now affected 20 million people, 8 million of whom need urgent aid washed away infrastructure and has since destroyed much of the country’s farming industry – which employs almost half of the country’s workers.

Pakistan needs our help. Here’s a few ways as to how:

UNICEF: 6 million children have been affected by the floods. Help UNICEF provide them with water, food and medical services.

Red Cross: Red Cross is on the ground, providing relief supplies, mobilizing relief workers and providing financial resources to those in need.

Save the Children: Save the Children is rushing essential supplies to children and their families.

Oxfam: Oxfam is providing hygiene, household and clean up kits to families in Pakistan.
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Anonymous Letter From The Gulf Coast...

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This post was originally published on the Gulf Restoration Network blog. For more information you can visit their website, or follow them on Twitter (@healthygulf) or make a donation. For more information on the recent benefits concerts I co-produced, visit Gulf Coast Benefits. If you have an idea about how YOU can help the Gulf Coast, applications are open for the Pepsi Refresh Everything project granting $1.3 million to support those ideas, apply now.
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A Letter from the Gulf Coast:

I am sixty-one years old, have never done one blog, computer search or even gotten on line at all – My children and grand children are however fluid while using their computers. I don’t even own one.

I’m not signing my name because I am thousands that live on the Gulf Coast – we have lived here for 10 generations — our lives, all our memories, our recreation, our baptisms, our first kisses, our most intimate moments, our loved ones ashes and our income have always revolved around the Gulf of Mexico – we have never taken her for granted – with our husbands she has been “the other woman”, with our children jumping the “biggest waves” has been an age old right of passage, our luxury saving for a week on the gulf in the summer or a month on the Gulf in the winter at Christmas.

We have held hands walking down the beach at the brink of divorce, the budding of new love, the devastation of death and disease — and the Gulf, she allowed us to breathe in new breath and start again with new perspectives. This oil spill has devastated us.
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On Volunteering In The Summer (And Beyond)...

Every Thursday this summer, come back to The Causemopolitan to read a guest post that will inspire you right up out of your seat to get involved and give back in a special series called Cause It’s Summer! Featured bloggers will be sharing their own reflections and stories, tips and resources, and perspective on philanthropy, social entrepreneurship and their own cause-filled life. This week welcome Susan McPherson, and her reflections on how to spend those extra summer sunlight hours – for good – and how it can quite possibly change your life.

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As a child, summer was always a time to run free – free from dreaded homework assignments, washing after dinner dishes, and free from the tedious chore of layering clothes to keep warm during harsh upstate NY winters.  In my 20s and 30s, summer became a time of extra hours of daylight to celebrate with cocktails/wine with friends, long runs in the park and extra dog walk time.  But over the last few years, summer has meant a zap of extra energy that I could pour into my passion of supporting nonprofit organizations.

This summer seems somewhat different, however.  I can’t pinpoint the exact reasons, but perhaps knowing that I’m shortly embarking on a new career as well as reading the blaring daily headlines about the tragedy in the Gulf, I seem to have even more enthusiasm and energy to support the causes that I’m passionate about.

So here’s my thought.  What if we could take the extra 3-4 hours of sunshine that we are so graciously provided each June, July, August (and even September) and use that time to give back to some of those fabulous organizations that NEED help.  For EVERY interest, passion, category, location that exists, there is a worthy nonprofit organization that is dying for volunteers and support – young and old.  Below, I’m going to share with you some of my treasured ones and suggest you take peek.

Have you ever thought of planting a fish?  Now, I know you’ve probably planted a tree before, perhaps ever several, but have you ever considered “planting” an oyster or another sea creature?  Intrigued?  If so, check out Plant A Fish a new nonprofit founded by Fabien Cousteau, grandson of the legendary ocean explorer, Jacques Yves Cousteau!  Fabien’s goal is to help children and communities around the world “replant” key species in their local waterways – rivers, lakes and oceans.  The organization will also be helping with the relocation of various sea animals affected by the Gulf Oil Spill.  If you are passionate about our planet, the outdoor world and the environment, I encourage you to sign up today.  Within the next few years, there will be Plant A Fish communities created in cities around the world.  Follow on Twitter: @plantafish.
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TONIGHT! Gulf Coast Benefits Unite Us For Good...

This post is written by Nic Adler, co-producer for tonight’s events and owner of The Roxy in Los Angeles, CA. I’m honored to have partnered with him, Casey Phillips and the entire Gulf Coast Benefit Team for tonight’s shows around the country (and indeed now around the world). Please consider donating to our efforts regardless if you can attend a show tonight or not. To find an event in your area, see our Meetup Everywhere page where there are over 90 events listed in 13 countries (and counting).

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Photo Credit Kris Krug / Static Photography. View more photos from TEDxOil Spill Expedition on Flickr.

As I sit here writing this, up to 100 million gallons of oil has spewed into the gulf and as it continues to do so, it is destroying our fragile ecosystem and people’s livelihoods. We cannot just sit, watch the news and continue to say, “This is horrible!” and, “How could this happen?” without some action to back it up. This problem is our problem now and we need to stand up and help where ever and however we can.

WHO IS HELPING THE GULF COAST REGION?

There are so many groups doing amazing work along the Gulf coastlines.  After days of due diligence and research, our co-producer Sloane Berrent came back to the group with multiple nonprofits to partner with and options but we all narrowed in on the Gulf Restoration Network’s new initiative, Gulf Future, because we all thought it reflected our mission. Support the coastal and fishing communities, restore the marine and costal environments and, maybe most important, make people aware and responsible for what has happened in the Gulf so history does not repeat itself in the future.

HOW ARE WE RAISING MONEY?

Naturally owning The Roxy in Los Angeles, I thought we should throw a benefit concert, but then wondering how to make it really have an impact, it came to me, what if we reached out to our neighbor businesses to see if we could all work together and really take something as simple as a benefit concert and turn it into a wave of action. I then reached out to Casey Phillips, who I knew as a true New Orleans man and someone who had a real “on the ground” pulse of what was happening. Not only was he a native of the area but also the talent buyer for multiple clubs including our own Sunset Strip neighbor, The Viper Room. Casey echoed my same thoughts and went into action immediately bringing in Sloane Berrent and The Roxy’s Megan Jacobs along with a team of people who knew something had to be done now. Three weeks and a couple of thousands emails later, we now have over 50 independent music venues and over 100 bands fighting for the cause.

All the venues will send their gate revenues from these shows directly to Gulf Restoration Network within 72 hours of our shows.  Also, our donation widget send funds directly to the Gulf Restoration Network’s account so we don’t ever touch the donations and they all go directly to the nonprofit partner. We’re making sure it gets into the hands of community groups like Bayou Grace and St. Bernard Community Center within weeks and we’ll be sharing that with those who made donations both online and through attending events through social networks and follow up blog posts with our partners.
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Groundswell Growing for Gulf Coast Benefit Concert...

This Thursday, July 1st, music venues and activists worldwide will unite to benefit those directly impacted by the Gulf Coast Oil Spill. Proceeds from all participating venues will be donated to The Gulf Restoration Network, a nonprofit committed to uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf Region for future generations.

This is the beginning of a blog post that I am seeing coming flying into my google alerts and into my inbox. It’s the start of a groundswell for tomorrow night’s Gulf Coast Benefit concerts.

Current stand is 60 Meetups, about 45 which are music venues and the rest are awareness get-togethers. It’s grown to 5 countries too (shout out to the Montreal and Paris contingent in particular)! 100% of online donations and the ticket price at venues is going to Gulf Restoration Network. Those who know me, know that I look to inspire others to find ways to give back and this benefit series is speaking to the passionate resolve we all have to help others in times of need.

How can you get involved? Make a donation, whatever amount you can give. Every dollar counts. Then, how about asking 5 friends to match you? Send an email or post to your Facebook wall and say something like:

I just donated $10 to support Gulf Benefit Concerts, will you match my donation?

You can attend. Full listing of venues is on the Meetup Everywhere page.

You can blog about the events. This takes our message to your fans, supporters and friends. A blog post goes a long way! An article in your local paper helps tell more people about what we’re up to. To give you inspiration, here are links to some of the most recent press we’ve gotten. (And huge thanks to everyone below).

• Antiquiet Interview with Co-organizer Casey Phillips:
  

  New Orleans has been in a fight for survival for the past decade. In terms of the deep musical spirit of the area, what’s the general atmosphere among local artists in relation to this crisis?
  
  The strength of the NOLA musical community is a force that some may have doubted before Katrina, but few question anymore. They have lead by example these past 5 years by refusing to let our musical heritage disappear. To me they represent pillars of strength for others to draw inspiration from. The cajun culture of the bayou regions is as important to Louisiana’s heritage as jelly-roll jazz. Right now the future for the fishing communities looks bleak, however, but I can say with certainty that the cajuns are proud people, and the backbone of Louisiana – we will not let them down.

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Gulf Tides: BP’s Oil Hits Home...

This post originated from an email blast to supporters and is written by Aaron Viles, Campaign Director for the Gulf Restoration Network, the nonprofit partner of the Gulf Benefit Concerts that I’m co-producing on Thursday. I couldn’t say much of this better myself, so I’m sharing his message and hoping you’ll DONATE or ATTEND one of the 55+ shows happening across the U.S. and in four other countries on Thursday night.

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As the BP deepwater drilling disaster stretches into its third month, the community impacts are significant and getting worse.  For the newest episode of our ongoing YouTube series, we revisit the Atakapa-Ishka people of Grand Bayou Community in lower Plaquemines Parish.  Please watch as tribal representatives recount the oil in their marsh, covering their oyster leases and jeopardizing their future.  This was a tough video to create, and the impacts of this disaster really hit me hard as I was seeing it through the eyes of the people who live off this land, now ruined by BP’s crude.

Heartbreaking images of oiled pelicans, sea turtles, and marsh underscore the environmental crisis facing the region.  The Gulf Restoration Network continues to push for a more effective clean up and containment effort, and remains committed to bringing you authentic voices from the Gulf’s affected communities.
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Nationwide Gulf Benefit Concerts July 1st to Benef...

I’m really excited to officially announce that I’m part of the team producing a series of nationwide benefit concerts July 1st benefiting the fishermen & wildlife affected by the Gulf Coast Oil Spill called Gulf Coast Benefit Presents Coast to Coast. < -- VISIT THE WEBSITE!

What to help and GET INVOLVED? Read more or skip to the get involved part!

Along with Nic Adler, owner of The Roxy on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, CA; Megan Jacobs of The Roxy, Casey Phillips, talent buyer for venues including Tipitina’s in New Orleans and Viper Room & The Mint in Los Angeles, and a terrific support team, we have over 25 venues on board nationally to support this effort with 100% of proceeds going DIRECTLY to the Gulf Restoration Network (@healthygulf on Twitter) and their community-based effort called Gulf Future.

Daryl Hannah, Dave Faustino, Ed Begley Jr., Rebelution, Nicky Avalon and venues like The Roxy, Viper Room, Spaceland, The Echo, The Mint, Fais Do Do, The Comedy Store, Tipitina’s, Press Room and more are involved have enlisted their efforts to help! Volunteers in each city and music industry heavy-hitters are jumping in. Now it’s YOUR TURN!

Is it ambitious to gather music venues around the country to donate ticket sales on July 1st and create an online giving platform that encourages donations to the relief efforts? You betcha. But the people, wildlife and wetlands affected need our support and we’ve combined efforts and networks to make this successful and meaningful for those in the Gulf Coast.

Revenues from ticket sales will be donated to help the fishermen and their families along the Gulf Coast cope with this disaster and aid wildlife and wetlands restoration for the Gulf Coast. Over 25 venues have been confirmed and more are being added every day. Artists performing include national as well as local acts across the US.

“We know through music and the generosity of people that we can help make a difference in the Gulf Coast.” Adler says. “We hope this inspires others to make a donation, attend an event and get involved.”

The wetlands and wildlife are in desperate need of our attention now and we can’t wait for BP to take care of those in need. Many of our fellow Americans will have no livelihood, are preparing to leave their homes and are now lining up for food handouts. With hurricane season on the horizon, there is reason for great concern and it’s crucial the affected communities be prepared for the worst.

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6 Ways to Help the Gulf Coast Today...

Photo Credit Kris Krug / Static Photography. Photo on Flickr. View more photos from TEDxOil Spill Expedition on Flickr.

Here in the Gulf Coast, the effect from the oil spill is overwhelming. An entire way of life is gone forever. It’s not an overly dramatic statement. The entire fishing industry will never recovery and people who have worked on the water their whole life (or whose professions rely on water-based industries) are now without a viable way to make money. What’s worse is that many of the areas hardest hit are actually the same areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. What that means is that many of those communities are still repaying loans from Katrina and are unable to take on a second loan from the SBA, even with deferred payment.

A phrase heard from natives about natural and unnatural disasters that have attacked this region is, “When CNN goes away, the lawyers come out to play.” How tragic and deplorable to think that if the national media veers their attention that BP won’t hold itself accountable for decimating the livelihood of thousands of families, recreation activities for the entire region and destroying the wildlife and wetlands that the entire country depend on to keep our fragile eco-sysytem in place.

I therefore implore you to do what you can to keep this topic top of mind. That can mean using your own social networks to tell stories, re-share photos taken, signing petitions to lawmakers, making donations to nonprofits doing direct relief work, create ways for your industry or business to give back and keep pushing forward. The “disaster fatigue” is upon us that sets in during enormous devastation and I applaud so many of you out there reading this for your hard work and precious time in helping those who need it. You inspire me.

Yours in better times,
Sloane

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Edited from an original post published on June 20, 2010 as a NOLAlicious special edition called “Gulf Oil Spill Special Edition.” For more information on NOLAlicious or to sign up for the weekly e-newsletter, visit our website NOLAlicious.com.
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News Updates

From The New York Times Interactive Map to the Oil Reporter Mobile Application, there are many resources gathering information and sharing photos, videos, blog and news updates from the entire Gulf Region. One site to bookmark is WWOZ’s BP Oil Disaster Resource and Update page. You can find more information like what is listed here that can help build your own resource guide of information surrounding the disaster.

Donate

There are many small community groups making an immediate impact in the Gulf Coast region where your donations will be put to use immediately. To help you, follow this Twitter list of organizations to support. Another great opportunity to give is during Monday night’s 2-hour CNN telethon special. You can direct your donations to one of three national nonprofits, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy or the United Way. If you remember, the CNN Haiti telethon raised over $5 million, and these national endeavors are critical fundraising channels for giving back on a national scale.

Gatherings for Good

Follow @TEDxOilSpill, or attend the event June 28th in Washington DC where leaders around the country and across industries including government agencies, NGOs, and environmental groups are coming together to tackle the tough questions raised by the recent and ongoing environmental catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico. Topics will include mitigation of the spill and the impending cleanup efforts; energy alternatives; policy and economics; as well as new technology that can help us build a self-reliant culture. There are 72 Meetups happening around the country that day (including this one in New Orleans) so you can participate where ever you are.
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Oil Spill Update: Ways to Get Involved & New ...

Chandeleur Islands Balloon Aerial Imagery from Grassroots Mapping

President Obama made a stop in the Gulf Coast region two weeks ago to survey the damage and while he was here issued a 6-month moratorium on new offshore drilling. Major news organizations have extended their stay on Louisiana’s coast, citing what residents already know, that the environmental and economic impact are far greater than anyone could fathom or dare imagine.

The “Crude Awakening” as it’s been called is causing a lifetime of damage to the Gulf Coast, spurring over 45 rallies nationwide to demand BP step up and take responsibility for its actions and that the government pass stricter regulations on offshore drilling. The spill, which occurred on April 20th, still hasn’t been stopped, and crude oil continues to spill into the Gulf Coast region.

In the mayhem and despair, citizens and activists are in a constant state of emergency and disaster mode. Anne Rolfes, Founding Director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, told me, “Our office is bombarded every day by phone calls and people who walk through the door wanting to help in the face of this impossible situation. We are putting them to work to document the problem – gathering data, making the people-to-people connections that will help the real story be told. When the spill stops BP has a public relations machine ready to minimize this and pretend it didn’t happen. We don’t have a machine but we have something better – real people who are passionate and determined.”

The first week of June marks another important date for the Gulf Coast region. It’s the official start of hurricane season. With wetlands and marshes already under attack, meteorologists and hurricane experts warn this year’s hurricane season is more dangerous than ever. Imagine cities not only suffering water damage but covered in oil.

It’s hard not to be despondent, and worse, not know what you can do to help. Listed below are organizations making a difference and bringing together technologies being used to stop the oil spill from spreading and tracking the spill, providing a dataset open to the public.

Consider supporting these organizations and finding a way to get involved.

Grassroots Mapping, a creation of Jeffrey Warren from MIT Media Lab’s Center for Future Civic Media, is producing imagery created by volunteers and owned in the public domain. By using balloons and kites equipped with inexpensive digital cameras, these “community satellites” are able to georeference and create maps with 100x higher resolution than what is available on Google to be used in the environmental battle and litigation proceedings in the coming years. Orientation sessions are being offered in New Orleans or a DIY wiki is available on their website.

What you can do: Grassroots Mapping is currently running a Kickstarter project to raise money for more kites and helium tanks to put in the hands of volunteers in New Orleans. They are looking to raise $5,000 in the next 20 days. A donation of $10 or more gets you a print of any photo in their public domain dataset.
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Crude Awakening and Life In New Orleans...

New Orleans, and the entire Gulf Coast is suffering an inconsolable crime. The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, also being called the “BP Oil Spill” and also being called “Crude Awakening” that happened on April 20th is still gushing oil into the gulf threatening and destroying the wetlands, leaving a lifetime of environmental effects and causing the loss of billions of dollars in revenue and jobs to locals who depend on fish and seafood as their means of employment.

In the midst of all of this disaster is life. You know how emergencies work. The psychology. Disaster is everywhere, and yet, life is everywhere too. Sometimes when life if so sad, so heartbreaking, it’s hard to know when to open your heart and when to close it. It’s hard to see so much devastation. And even though I’m always talking to people about how to get involved in their communities and to look past the overwhelming cause and dive into parts they can affect, well, there are moments when I too find life hard and complex and simply sad.

These photos, taken on the same bike tour as yesterday’s photos, remind me of the life that exists everywhere, the color, the brightness, the essence of New Orleans that will never disappear. And then, I think, it’s my job to push the sadness aside and find a way to get involved. Any ideas to share?

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