Donations
• Text FOODNOW to 52000 to donate $10 to Vermont Foodbank. The Foodbank will turn each donation into $60 for families in need.
• To make a financial donation to United Way of Windham County's Long-term Disaster Relief fund, visit www.unitedwaywindham.org and designate “long-term disaster relief” or call 802-257-4011.
• You can also donate to the American Red Cross of Vermont and the New Hampshire Valley. The Red Cross set up shelters immediately after Irene hit for flooded-out families to stay in. 802-660-9130.
• The Red Cross is also asking for blood donations. For more information, call 802-660-9130 or visit www.redcrossblood.org.
• Food, personal care items and cleaning supplies in Brattleboro area: Brattleboro Area Drop-In Center at 60 South Main St., or call 802-257-5415.
• Vermont Catholic Charities has a disaster-relief fund and has asked for contributions to help Irene's victims. Every dollar received will be distributed to those who have been adversely impacted by the storm. Visit www.vermontcatholic.org.
• Preservation Vermont (www.ptvermont.org) is collecting donations to rebuild covered bridges and historic buildings destroyed or damaged by Tropical Storm Irene. Paul Bruhn, executive director of the organization, said 100 percent of the money will be used for engineering and architectural analysis and for rehabilitation work. Preservation Vermont will cover any administrative expenses from other sources.. Donors may designate their donation specifically for bridges or for buildings if they choose.
• The Weston Playhouse, the professional theater company in southern Vermont that suffered an estimated $100,000 in damage, has set up an emergency fund: send checks to Weston Playhouse Theatre Co.; 703 Main St., Weston, VT 05161.
• The VT Irene Flood Relief Fund (www.vtirenefund.org) is raising money to help people and communities affected by flooding. One hundred percent of all donations will be distributed to businesses and families. The fund is being administered by Todd K. Bailey.
• The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) is launching an online auction on Oct. 1 to raise crucial funding for the Farmer Emergency Fund, which will provide financial support to organic and NOFA-VT member farmers whose land and crops were destroyed by the statewide flooding. NOFA-VT hopes to raise at least $30,000 through this auction. For more information about donating or applying for funds, visit nofavt.org or call 802-434-4122.
• NOFA Vermont is also accepting donations for their Farmers Emergency Fund to help aid the state's hard-hit farms. To help Vermont farmers who lost crops, livestock and land to Tropical Storm Irene, the state has created the Vermont Farm Disaster Relief Fund. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture and the Vermont Community Foundation teamed up to create the fund, which will pool donations and offer grants to affected farmers.
• The Farmer Emergency Fund, established in 1997 to help organic farmers affected by natural disasters, is asking for donations. Contact Kirsten Bower at the Northeast Organic Farming Association for more information on how to donate or apply for funds at 434-4122 ext. 16.
• The Deerfield Valley Rotary Club is taking donations to help businesses in Wilmington rebuild.
• The Stratton Foundation has set up a relief fund to help the towns of Londonderry, Jamaica, Stratton, Weston and Winhall.
Volunteering
• VTResponse.com is working to connect volunteers ready to help with those that need assistance. The site includes a frequently-updated blog and a forum. If you're looking to help clean up and rebuild, or if you're in need of assistance, visit their site. Volunteer and cleanup efforts are also being coordinated on Twitter via the #VTresponse hashtag.
• The Vermont Flooding 2011 page on Facebook is functioning as a community bulletin board of sorts.
• If you're looking to get help from volunteers, check out VolunteerMatch.org.
More resources
• If you need assistance or information from the state, dial 211 or visit vt211.org.
• Health Care and Rehabilitative Services (HCRS) has a 24-hour crisis hotline at 800-622-4235.
• Help for municipalities to find equipment and resources for rebuilding from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns is available at http://www.vlct.org/league-resources/irene-recovery-resources.
• Vermont Community Foundation's list of resources can be found at http://www.vermontcf.org/give-now.
• Sublet.com will provide free access for people who are displaced from their homes. Call their customer service line at 877-367-7368 for more information.
• The Windham & Windsor Housing Trust is offering low-interest loans for home repairs. The 3 percent loans can be used to repair roof, plumbing, electric, and heating repairs, well and septic repair or replacement. For more information, call Jenn Short at 802-246-2116.
• Google has combined with the Vermont Agency of Transportation to create a road closure map at http://crisislanding.appspot.com/?crisis=2011_flooding_vermont.
• For regular Windham County flood and road status updates, visit http://windhamstatus.wordpress.com.
• For child care providers who have been affected by Irene, check out the Resources for Relief (Child Care Providers of VT) page on Facebook.
• The Vermont Farm Fund (VFF) has established an emergency loan program. This program will accept applications immediately for $5,000 loans at zero interest to benefit Vermont farms that have been directly affected by the effects of Hurricane Irene. To make a tax deductible donation write a check to the Vermont Farm Fund and mail to the Center for an Agricultural Economy, PO Box 451, 41 S. Main St., Hardwick, VT 05843.
• The Vermont Historical Society is working with the state's cultural heritage community throughout Vermont to assess the damage to local historical societies, museums and heritage organizations. Historical or cultural organizations in need of assistance should call Jackie Calder at 802-479-8514 or e-mail her here. An alternate contact is Lisa Evans, League of Local Historical Societies and Museums Manager, at 802-479-8522 or Help Vermont Facebook group is another place to share recovery information.
• To report farm damages, including but not limited to barns, milking parlors, crops, fields, equipment, etc., call the Windham County USDA Farm Service Agency at 802-254-9766. Organizations such as the Vermont Farm Bureau (802-434-5646) or NOFA Vermont (802-434-4122) can also be called. These organizations will send a summary of the information to the Agency of Agriculture, which will forward it to Vermont Emergency Management.
Storm recovery resources
• Vermont Emergency Management Facebook page: The most up to date information for VEM can be found on their Facebook page. If you “like” VEM on Facebook, you will be given automatic updates on your Facebook homepage as their status changes. Includes great links to press releases and other information.
• If you find a fuel tank on your property or floating in flood waters, please contact the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association at 802-223-7750.
• Vermont Travel Information Services: For the latest information on road closures, call 511.
• Ride Share (www.connectingcommuters.org) is designed for commuters to find car pools, but can be a valuable asset for individuals whose cars are damaged or destroyed.
• Free legal advice: Call 800-889-2047 to speak to attorneys available thanks to a collaboration by the Vermont Bar Association, Vermont Legal Aid, Legal Services Law Line of Vermont and the Vermont Volunteer Lawyers Project
• Insurance questions: Call state insurance officials at 800-964-1784 with storm-related insurance questions.
• Contact the Small Business Administration, Vermont district office, for help with small business loans, grants and financing, the Farm Service Agency in Colchester for Vermont farmers seeking assistance and information about farm-related flooding and to report damage.
• Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) can be reached at 802-722-4575 or 800-464-9951, or visit www.sevca.org.