September 12, 2005
Hundreds Call Hurricane Donation Hotline in First Week
More than 500 Montanans called a statewide hurricane donations hotline during its first week of operations, state officials said Monday.
The hotline was established on Sept. 6 at the request of Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who wanted to provide Montanans with a way to lend a helping hand to victims of Hurricane Katrina. As of noon Monday, the hotline had logged 510 calls offering everything from shelter to transportation, from jobs to clothes, and from quilts to stuffed animals.
The hotline has been staffed during regular business hours by employees of the state Department of Public Health and Human Services. As calls come in, staff members log the donation offers in a computer database. The database is shared daily with the state Disaster and Emergency Services Division (DES), which in turn matches goods and services with needs identified by the Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Services (FEMA).
"It's been heartwarming to see how eagerly Montanans have offered to help our neighbors in the Gulf Coast," Gov. Schweitzer said. "It's good to know that, should we ever experience a crisis here in our own state, we have caring friends and neighbors here at home that we can count on in a pinch."
To contact the donations hotline, call 1-800-237-5079 or, in Helena, 444-7825, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Page last updated: 06/15/2006
