Stepping up to meet need after Harvey

Fund drives and telethons are popping up in response to the overwhelming disaster unfolding in Houston.

Talk about adding insult to injury.

As thousands in Houston trudge toward shelters in flood water that is in some cases up to their chests, they do so knowing full well that everything they own – and are leaving behind – is likely lost forever.

That is because the ugly truth behind the immediate emergency created by Harvey is the long-term disaster in the making for this unprecedented force of Mother Nature.

Most insurance experts are indicating that only a small fraction of Harvey-affected homeowners who in some cases have lost everything have flood insurance.

Bottom line? Those families likely are on the hook for the damage.

They face the prospect of digging into their own pockets, borrowing, or simply selling and starting new somewhere else.

One expert predicted that only two in 10 homeowners have adequate flood insurance coverage.

The total damage from Harvey is expected to approach $35 billion, which would put it in the ballpark of the disaster created when Hurricane Katrina swamped New Orleans.

To adequately cover flood damage, homeowners need separate coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program.

Most in Houston do not carry those kinds of policies, the experts fear.

All of which means the staggering relief effort is going to be more essential than ever.

Quickly, here is how you can help those in need:

• You can make a donation to the American Red Cross in one of three ways: Visiting the website redcross.org, calling 1-800-REDCROSS, or simply texting the word HARVEY to 9099 to make an automatic $10 donation. If sending a check, write the words Hurricane Harvey in the memo line.

• Make donations to the Salvation Army at the website helpsalvationarmy.org.

Any number of other fund drives and telethons are popping up in response to the overwhelming disaster unfolding in Houston.

In southeastern Pennsylvania, officials Tuesday indicated they are ready to respond if the call comes.

“We’re kind of on a standby mode,” said Tim Boyce, Delaware County Emergency Services director.

Boyce said he reached out to Richard Flinn, director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency first thing Sunday to see how the county could respond.

He’s been busy since getting equipment ready to roll should the call come for help.

The county’s Medical Reserve Corps also is on standby for a possible deployment in the Gulf region.

Several local Red Cross volunteers already are in route to help with the effort in Houston.

Tom Grace of Wayne is already in the Houston area, working with the National Disaster Medical System.

He will assist in the overwhelmed health and medical systems in the wake of the disaster.

Grace is vice president of emergency preparedness for the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.

“This is an all hands on deck situation as Texas hospitals work around the clock to treat patients and coordinate response to the devastation of Hurricane Harvey,” Grace said.

That means businesses as well.

Wawa is forming a partnership with the American Red Cross to launch a fundraising campaign to help with the Harvey effort.

Customers soon will be able to contribute $1, $3 or $5 to the Hurricane Harvey relief effort when they check out and pay for their purchases at local Wawas.

The program will run through Sept. 8 and Wawa is vowing to match the first $50,000 donated by its customers.

The danger is the natural reaction to think that once the water starts to recede, so does the need. That won’t be the case in Houston.

Just ask those in New Jersey who are still slogging through paperwork and bureaucracy in trying to be reimbursed for damage suffered during the monster storm Sandy.

Hurricane Harvey was every bit as big a monster. The need is huge. And it will not go away anytime soon.

That’s why it is good to see so many people step up at a critical time of need.