How to Help Marginalized and Vulnerable People in Texas
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/fathom_media/photos/jared-evans-yorm-texas-lights.jpg.1200x800_q85_crop.jpg)
Millions of people have experienced intense winter storms from Nashville to Oregon this year. But the bottom is falling out in Texas after plummeting temperatures caused a huge power failure within the state's independent power grid. This, on top of months of pandemic-related stress and economic woes, has Texans are wondering: Where's the safety net?
We'll need to rally to help the most vulnerable with the most basic — but critical — needs: warmth, water, a place to sleep, things to eat. If you have a few bucks to spare, look into an organization doing good work and get money to them fast. We've been keeping up with a few grassroots organizations that accept easy Venmo, PayPal, or Cashapp donations:
Lucha Dallas, a collective working to support the BIPOC community in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. (@luchadallas on Venmo)
Feed the People DTX Mutual, a Black- and Latinx-run community grocery program offering storm relief (food and funds) throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. (@feedthepeopledallas on Venmo)
Houston Community Fridges, a coalition to end homelessness that provides grocery services and meals to women and non-binary folks. (@hochtx on PayPal)
Austin Mutual Aid, a community collective booking hotel rooms for unhoused Austinites and organizing care packages. (@austinmutualaid and @austinmutualaidhotels on Venmo)
Para Mi Gente, a San Antonio-based, Latinx-led mutual aid group helping with hotel bookings and supplies. Follow until they start accepting donations again. ($pmgmutualaid on Cashapp)
Learn More About Charitable Giving
As always, The New York Times has a terrific list of additional resources. Dallas-based D Magazine published a list of organizations in dire need of help.
Grassroots organizations have proliferated during COVID-19. Now they are extending their reach to help folks during emergencies. Be sure to check the spelling in your Venmo handles before hitting send.
Giving in wake of a disaster is a marathon, not a sprint. Folks will be displaced and distressed for a long while. Do what you can now and later.