What you need to know: Helping Las Vegas & Puerto Rico

This blog entry is just for informational purposes.

Las Vegas Shooting

On Sunday, October 1st 2017, a gunman opened fire on the audience of a country music festival taking place in Las Vegas.

The local police department put out a press release indicating United Blood Services started taking donations at 7 a.m. on Monday at two locations: 6930 W. Charleston in Las Vegas and 601 Whitney Ranch Drive in Henderson. UMC will also be hosting a blood drive in conjunction with United Blood Services. It will be held at UMC’s Delta Point Building located at 901 N. Rancho Lane.

You can support organizations that are helping the victims of the shooting, such as the Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada, which provides free services to people who don’t have health insurance; the American Red Cross Southern Nevada chapter; and the National Compassion Fund, which supports victims of mass crimes through direct donations.

People are also raising money to help victims through crowdfunding websites such as GoFundMe and YouCaring.

Here are some mental health resources in case you or someone close to you, or that you just met needs them:

• Crisis Call Center’s 24-hour hotline: 1-775-784-8090
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• National Depressive/Manic-Depressive Association Hotline: 1-800-826-3632

Additionally, if you want to push for stricter gun regulation laws, you can call your local congressman. Make sure you keep the communication short and to the point and that you contact the one that represents you. Here is how.

Crisis in Puerto Rico

The U. S. Territory of Puerto Rico is facing a growing humanitarian crisis after the desolation brought on by Hurricane Maria.

Donations can be made at the following sites:

• United for Puerto Rico
• UNICEF
• Direct Relief
• Hispanic Federation
• Save the Children
• International Medical Corps
• Americares
• Global Giving

You can also use the GoFundMe’s Hurricane Maria hub if you want to control where the donations should go.

You can also volunteer to help. The Federal Emergency Management Agency directs aspiring volunteers to register here, and you can also look at a list of opportunities at the  National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.

Everything helps.