Residents and local organizations in The Woodlands and surrounding areas are joining together for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Listed below are several areas of assistance for victims. Also listed are ways you can donate money and items to assist others in their time of need.

How to Help:
THE WOODLANDS MALL COLLECTING FUNDS – The Woodlands Mall is teaming up with the American Red Cross to help raise funds. The Woodlands Mall’s fundraising effort is part of a three-state drive, organized by shopping centers owned and managed by General Growth Properties, Inc. (GGP) in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Beginning immediately, The Woodlands Mall will collect monetary donations for the American Red Cross at the customer service area in Center Court at The Woodlands Mall. To make your donations directly to the Red Cross, Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.

THE CLUB AT CARLTON WOODS OPENS ITS GATE TO VICTIMS - The members and staff of The Club at Carlton Woods, a private country club within the gated community of Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, are inviting the public to participate in a golf tournament benefiting the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The double shotgun tournament will be held on Tuesday, September 13, 2005, with rounds beginning at 8:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

“This is a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to go behind the gates of this exclusive community to play 18 holes of golf on the acclaimed Jack Nicklaus Signature course and enjoy lunch at The Club at Carlton Woods,” said Bill Langley, CCM, managing director of The Clubs of The Woodlands. “100 percent of the funds raised will go towards the purchase of food for those temporarily housed at the Astrodome in Houston. It is estimated that $20 million worth of food will be needed for that effort. Our goal is to raise at least $100,000.”

The cost to play in the event is $500 per person, including lunch, and the fee is 100 percent tax deductible. All checks should be made payable to New Orleans Relief Fund. To register to play in this special event, please call The Club at Carlton Woods at 281-863-5820.

“FILL THE TRUCK FOOD DRIVE” AT MARKET STREET – A “Fill the Truck” Food Drive will be held on Saturday, September 3 from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. in the H-E-B parking lot at Market Street in The Woodlands. Non-perishable food items, toiletries, baby items and gas cards in $10 increments will be accepted. No clothing items please. Items will be collected and distributed to Hurricane Katrina victims through Interfaith Food Bank and Montgomery County Food Bank with help from The Woodlands Fire Department, The Woodlands Development Company, The Woodlands Town Center Improvement District and Market Street. For more information, log on to www.marketstreet-thewoodlands.com.

AREA HOTELS ACCEPT GOODS FOR VICTIMS - Several hotel locations in The Woodlands area are accepting food, clothing, toiletries and more for victims of the hurricane who are temporarily staying in The Woodlands at these hotels. Listed below is contact information for the hotels.

Drury Inn, Jeremy Pritchett, 281-362-7222
Fairfield Inn & Suites, Chris Potter, 936-271-0110
Hilton Garden Inn, Bill Stoinoff, 281-364-9300
Residence Inn I & II, Courtyard by Marriott, Tamara Sandford, 281-419-1542

LOCAL HOSPITALS COLLECTING DONATIONS – Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital will be collecting cash and check donations for the American Red Cross today, September 1 and Friday, September 2. Donations may be dropped off at the hospital at 9250 Pinecroft Drive in the cafeteria from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. All proceeds go to the Red Cross.

St. Luke’s Community Medical Center-The Woodlands at 17200 St. Luke’s Way is having a toiletry and towels drive for victims. The medical center will be collecting items at the front desk from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. today, September 1, Friday, September 2, Tuesday, September 6 and Wednesday, September 7. On Wednesday, please bring items to the Swan Café at the center from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

THE ARROW PROJECT NEEDS ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS - The local non-profit agency “The Arrow Project” is currently providing free support/housing for 60 Hurricane Katrina victims and their children. There is an immediate need for supplies and consumables including toiletries, clothing, meals, volunteers and donations. Please contact 281-572-1200 for additional information on delivery and assistance.

HURRICANE RELIEF CONCERT – Fellowship of The Woodlands, located at 1 Fellowship Drive off College Park Drive, will be hosting a hurricane relief concert featuring Phillips, Craig and Dean on Wednesday, September 7 at 7 p.m. Admission is free. A collection will be held for hurricane victims with 100% of donations going towards supplying food and shelter for the victims.

During regular services at Fellowship, people are asked to bring relief packages. For more information, visit www.fotw.org.

YMCAs ACCEPT GIFT CARDS FOR VICTIMS – The South Montgomery County YMCAs, located at 6145 Shadowbend Place and 8100 Ashlane Way in The Woodlands, will be accepting gift cards for food, clothing and gasoline for hurricane victims. Please drop them by the front desk at either location.

For Victims
VICTIMS CAN SIGN UP FOR RED CROSS - The Greater Houston Area Red Cross hotline number is 866-438-4636 or website is www.redcross.org. Registering with the Red Cross automatically signs you up for food assistance, gas cards, shelter assistance and FEMA.

WHERE TO GO FOR HELP LOCALLY – All people who are evacuees from Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi and are in need of free shelter and food are asked to go to one of the following nearby shelters:

Spring Tabernacle Church, 3131 FM 2920, Spring Texas
First United Methodist Church, 4308 Highway 105, Conroe
St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 701 Church Street, Huntsville
Additional services can be offered to shelter residents only. For a complete list of shelters, call Interfaith of The Woodlands at 281-367-1230 or the Montgomery County United Way at 281-292-4155.

INTERFAITH OF THE WOODLANDS OFFERS SUPPORT – Interfaith of The Woodlands is offering the following services for Hurricane Katrina victims:

Providing information and referral for volunteers, donors and refugees
Providing food vouchers for victims residing in our service area
Providing gas vouchers for victims residing in our service area
Providing clothing vouchers for victims residing in our service area
Assisting victims with collecting unemployment and with employment through the WorkSource
For more information, call Interfaith at 281-367-1230.

LUNCH & DINNER FOR VICTIMS – The Salvation Army, located at 304 Avenue E in Conroe, is serving lunch daily to victims of the disaster from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. (The Salvation Army serves lunch daily to non-victims who are in need of assistance from 12 noon until 1 p.m.). Dinner for victims will be served daily at 6 p.m. For more information, call the Salvation Army at 936-760-2440.

STORM’S YOUNGEST VICTIMS CAN ENROLL IN CONROE ISD - The Conroe Independent School District (CISD) welcomes students from the areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Children whose families have temporarily relocated within the Conroe Independent School District because of the hurricane may be enrolled in the school zone of their temporary residence. People may go to the school to enroll, call CISD at 936-441-9297 or United Way at 281-292-4155 or visit http://www.conroeisd.net/.

For school clothing, please see the counselor at the school in which the child is enrolling for vouchers.

MEDICAL CARE - The Lone Star Clinic will attempt to work people into their schedule. They accept insurance and Medicare. Once an evacuee has been seen at the Lone Star Clinic, they can fill their prescription at the clinic’s pharmacy. The address is 704 Old Montgomery Road in Conroe. Their phone number is 936-523-5242. The best hours to get in are evenings from Monday through Thursday. Women who are pregnant or in need of family planning assistance please contact UTMB at 936-525-2800. For emergencies, local hospitals include Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital, located at 9250 Pinecroft Drive in The Woodlands and St. Luke’s Community Medical Center-The Woodlands at 17200 St. Luke’s Way.
COUNSELING – For crisis counseling, please call Tri-County MHMR Services Crisis Counseling at 800-659-6994. Arrangements will be made to meet at a convenient location with people in need of counseling when the call is made. For children and youth counseling, please call Montgomery County Youth Services at the closest location for an appointment. For South Montgomery County, call 281-292-6471; Conroe 936-756-8682 or Magnolia, call 281-259-0440.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNIES – For people looking for employment, The South Montgomery County Woodlands Chamber of Commerce has a website with job listings at www.majec.org.

The WorkSource is a one stop shop collaboration for people seeking employment or unemployment benefits. There are two locations in Montgomery County:

The Woodlands: 2170 Buckthorne Place; Phone: 281-363-1640
Conroe: 2018 I-45; Phone: 281-756-0042 or 936-441-0037
FINANCIAL AID - Normal WorkSource financial aid policies and procedures are being followed. Customers must have an employment related need for WorkSource financial aid. If the customer is registered to look for work and is looking for work, the WorkSource can provide short-term financial aid of up to $200 for needs to get job interviews or to accept a job offer. For more information, call the WorkSource phone numbers listed above.
FOOD STAMPS, TANF OR MEDICAID -Direct Out–of-State residents seeking food stamps, call 211 or FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 or www.fema.gov . These organizations will ask for the zip code of the hotel or shelter and direct them to the nearest Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) office to apply for these benefits.

YMCA OFFERS FREE TEMPORARY MEMBERSHIP TO VICTIMS – The South Montgomery County YMCAs, located at 6145 Shadowbend Place and 8100 Ashlane Way in The Woodlands and the Conroe Family YMCA at 10245 Owen Drive in Conroe along with the Greater Houston YMCAs are offering free temporary membership privileges. Although there will not be housing available, YMCAs will be open during their regular business hours, for individuals and families to use showers or to participate in any of the activities offered at individual facilities.

THE WOODLANDS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PROVIDES ENTERTAINMENT – The Woodlands United Methodist Church, located at 2200 Lake Woodlands Drive, is hosting entertainment for victims the week of September 4.

Family Gym Night
3 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Computer Lab
3 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Children’s Movie Night
5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday ~

For these events, please do not leave your children unattended. For more information, call 281-297-5900.

FELLOWSHIP OF THE WOODLANDS OFFERS FAMILY FUN DAY – Fellowship of The Woodlands, located at 1 Fellowship Drive off College Park Drive, is hosting a family fun day for evacuees on Monday, September 5 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more information, log on to www.fotw.org or call 281-367-1900.