Are you looking for ways to help in Maui?
Carlsbad residents always step forward when help is needed. In the past, residents have driven across the country to assist those in need after Hurricane Katrina, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and many other national emergencies.
The ongoing tragedy in Hawaii has already killed at least 100 and destroyed many more homes. There is a great need for disaster relief for those who are interested in helping.
Unfortunately, there are already a number of scams in place attempting to take advantage of people’s desire to be charitable. If you ever have any concerns about a particular charity, web pages such as Charity Navigator and GuideStar provide some background on each organization.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency recommends donating to trusted agencies, including the Maui Strong Fund and the American Red Cross Fund.
The Maui Strong Fund is run by the Hawaii Community Foundation and provides food, clothing and shelter. Find it online at https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong.
The American Red Cross is also providing shelter, food and emotional support. You can call the Red Cross at 1-800-435-7669 or visit https://www.redcross.org/donate/cm/cbs-pub.html/.
Other credible organizations include Aloha United Way (https://ignite.stratuslive.com/auw/get-involved/donate/mauirelief), the Maui food bank (https://mauifoodbank.org/donate/) and, for those who want to help displaced pets, the Maui Human Society (https://www.mauihumanesociety.org/donate-olx/).
There are, of course many needs in our own community as well, and all charitable efforts in support of any group in need are greatly appreciated.
Southeast New Mexico College in Carlsbad received some great news earlier this week, when the Department of Energy announced a cooperative agreement providing $11.7 million to the college to develop educational programs. Many individuals and agencies have worked very hard over the past year to make this possible. Special thanks to Dr. Monty Harris, Dr. Kevin Beardmore and Dr. Ned Elkins with SENMC, as well as John Heaton, Ike White, Mark Bollinger, Nicole Nelson-Jean, and many others with both the college and DOE. We also appreciate the Permian Strategic Partnership for assisting with funding that allowed for the hiring of a grant writer. The City of Carlsbad was also proud to provide some support with the development of this program.
Southeast New Mexico College is also working with the potash mines, with the oil and gas industry and with many other groups such as local electricians and construction companies to provide improved training services in our community. We are very fortunate to live in an area with so many jobs, and it is clearly the right move to provide the best local training opportunities possible.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Are you looking for ways to help in Maui?
