Good Samaritan Network and the Hamilton County COAD encourages donations to be made for relief assistance for Houston residents affected by Hurricane Harvey. They are collaborating with Midwest Food Bank as they also are supporting the Salvation Army Houston Hurricane fund and the American Red Cross Houston Hurricane fund.
“Even as members of our county, we can make an impact by making a concerted effort to help tens of thousands of traumatized evacuees affected by Harvey, many with nothing but the clothes on their backs. There are several ways you can help,” said Nancy Chance.
Specifically, Good Samaritan Network is accepting donations and includes:
- 1-gallon zip lock bags
- Personal deodorant
- Soap (bar or body wash)
- Shampoo
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Razor
- Deodorant
- Comb or brush
- Nail clippers
- Wash cloth
The zip lock bags will be used in preparing hygiene packs which will be sent to the residents of Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey.
Those items can be donated directly at the Good Samaritan Network office/warehouse: 12933 Parkside Drive, Fishers. Regular office hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Financial donations can be donated online at Good Samaritan (www.gsnlive.org) and click on DonateNOW.
What Is a COAD?
COAD is a local extension of the statewide Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). It is an umbrella organization that exists to bring together those who are interested in building a better prepared and more resilient Hamilton County community.
- Enhance our community’s ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters
- Improving our community’s resources by creating local relationships prior to an event
- Ensure human needs probable in a disaster are assessed and met
- Strengthening area-wide disaster coordination
- Sharing program, policies and information
- Implementing joint planning and training
COADs provide a network through which individual organizations can more effectively address their mission and service goals during all four phases of a disaster. Members maintain autonomy while working to reduce duplication of services and other inefficiencies that occur during times of disaster.
A COAD enhances the ability for all communities involved to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. COAD members believe that community leadership, public and private, should be utilized in planning, directing and implementing the disaster recovery. COADs work closely with but are not governed by, the local EMA office.
Good Samaritan Network, working actively with the Hamilton County Emergency Management office, has been working with Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) in developing a COAD for the residents of Hamilton County. The current chairperson is Nancy S. Chance, Executive Director of Good Samaritan Network.