How to Help Midwest Flood Victims

I'm sure that many (if not all) Kossacks who can't drop everything, travel to the midwest and help sandbag are feeling frustrated. The suggestions I've seen for those of us stuck far from the floods to help is to send money to the Red Cross (apparently the Red Cross really needs cash badly now) or to the Humane Society.

For those who don't like those ideas, or who want to do more, I have another suggestion.  Keep reading below the fold if you are interested.

Church World Service is collecting clean-up kits for flood survivors.  These kits have about $50 worth of clean-up supplies and come packed in a 5-gallon bucket. You can either collect the supplies (if you shop carefully you can spend a lot less than $50) and fill the buckets yourself, or send a donation to church world service to pay for kits.  They have received more requests for kits from the midwest flood region than they can currently fill.
In my home state of Connecticut, a local retailer is donating a bucket for each set of clean-up materials donated.  Here is the contact info for Connecticut:

Please drop the items off at The First Congregational Church of Willimantic, 199 Valley, Willimantic, Connecticut. For item pick up or more information call: 860.423.6827. Cash donations are also accepted.

Currently, because of the flood situation, kits are going directly to the midwest:

In response to massive needs in the Midwest, between now and July 31, Church World Service is asking that completed Emergency Clean-up Buckets be dropped off or shipped to its Elkhart, Indiana, office (28606 Phillips Street, Elkhart, 46514), Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Elkhart, Indiana, contact: Cindy  Watson at [e-mail] 800-297-1516 or 574-264-3102, ext. 441,  

An Emergency Clean-up Bucket includes:

One five-gallon bucket with resealable lid

Five scouring pads

Seven sponges, assorted sizes

One scrub brush

Eighteen cleaning towels (reusable, like Easy Wipes®)

One 50-78 oz. box dry laundry detergent

One 12 oz. bottle of liquid concentrated household cleaner (like Lysol®)

One 25 oz. bottle liquid disinfectant dish soap (like Dawn®)

Fifty clothespins

Clothesline, two 50 ft. or one 100 ft.

Five dust masks

Two pairs latex gloves (like Playtex®)

One pair work gloves

24-bag roll of heavy-duty trash bags (33-45 gallon)

One 6-14 oz. bottle of insect repellent (drops or lotion, not aerosol)

All liquids should be purchased in plastic bottles, and should remain in those unopened bottles. Items should be packed securely into the plastic bucket to avoid damage during shipment, and the lid sealed with packing tape.

Contributions may be made online, by phone [phone] or 574-264-3102), or by mail to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515. For more information, visit the CWS Kits webpage.