Strategies to Help
As a result of receiving many suggestions from all around the world and also
gathering ideas from the Social Psychology, Community Psychology, and Counseling
Psychology listserves, I have compiled the following list of recommending strategies
for assisting people in the aftermath of the September 11 tragedy. If you can
think of others, send them to me. If you are a teacher or health care professional,
I have some other suggestions I can forward you. Let me know. Pray you are all
doing well and that your family and friends are ok.
peace, larry gerstein
Pres., Int'l Tibet Independence Movement
Suggestions for How to Help Persons After September 11
General Suggestions
1. Obtain information on breavement by visiting:
http://www.utulsa.edu/cpsc/bereavement.htm
2. Donate blood, and money. Volunteer to assist:
American National Red Cross
430 17th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
1-800-GIVE-LIFE
http://www.redcross.org
Specify that the contribution is for Disaster Relief
3. Donate money to:
United Way of New York City
2 Park Ave
New York, NY 10016
http://www.uwnyc.org
Specify contribution for the Sept 11th fund
4. Donors may specify the community — Washington, D.C. (code 9011) or New
York City (code 9012) where they would like their contributions to help. One
hundred percent of all donations will be used to respond to the needs of the
victims of these disasters. Established to help the victims of the terrorist
attacks in Washington, New York City and elsewhere in
the United States. The purpose of the fund is to mobilize financial resources
to respond to the pressing needs of the victims and their families and all those
affected by the tragedy.
5. Donate money to:
International Association of Fire Fighters
1750 New York Ave, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Specify contribution for disaster relief
6. Donate money to:
World Trade Center/Pentagon Fund
Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA)
call 303-933-7580
Send checks to:
FEEA World Trade Center/Pentagon Fund
8441 W. Bowles Ave Suite 200
Littleton, CO 80123-9501.
Families needing assistance may contact FEEA (800-323-4140 or 303-933-7580)
The Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund is the only non-profit,
non-governmental agency whose sole mission is to provide educational and emergency
financial assistance to civilian federal and postal employees.
7. Donate money, food, and clothing to:
Salvation Army
800-SAL-ARMY
8. Medical personnel willing to go into Manhattan to assist victims and emergency
workers can call 516-656-9254 or 516-656-9252. The City of Glen Cove, New York
is coordinated transportation of medical personnel via ferry to Manhattan.
9. Collect Coins and Dollars on campus and in the community.
10. Visit an excellent website on how to help: http://www.helping.org
11. Organize and participate in candlelight vigils for peace and compassion.
12. Arrange public gatherings to express compassion for the victims and their
loved ones.
13. Arrange public gatherings to express the need for peaceful and non-violent
solutions.
14. Assist the New York State Disaster Response Network. Call 800-732-3933
15. Host a neighborhood meeting to listen and support each other.
16. Coordinate prayer services in hospitals, nursing facilities, and other social
service and educational institutions.
17. Organize fundraising activities such as a car wash, bake sale, yard sale,
etc.
18. Write your Senator, Congressperson, and/or other government officials and,
if you agree, tell them you want a non-violent, peaceful solution to this horrific
tragedy and also let them know how you feel about revenge and war.
19. Visit these websites for information on crisis prevention and responses:
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu
Coping with Emotions after a Disaster
http://www.psychworks.com/PTSD%20response.htm
After a Disaster: Steps You Can Take to Cope
http://www.wright.edu/sopp/cps/TraumaticStress.html
The Child Survivor of Traumatic Stress
http://users.umassmed.edu/Kenneth.Fletcher/kidsurv.html
National Center for PTSD
http://www.ncptsd.org
Primary Care Treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000901/1035.html
http://www.psychiatrist.com/supplenet/v61s05/02index.htm
http://www.aaets.org/arts/art87.htm
http://www.athealth.com/Consumer/directory/
http://www.athealth.com/Consumer/tcenter/tcenter.html
How to communicate & treat children & adolescents during crisis
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/disastercomm.htm
http://www.guideline.gov/VIEWS/summary.asp?guideline=000314
Supporting Survivors, Families and Loved Ones in the Aftermath
http://www.aaets.org/arts/art98.htm
How to help young people and children
1. Encourage young people and children to design murals that allow them to
express their feelings and thoughts.
2. Encourage young people and children to send cards, toys, and clothes to young
people and children in New York City and Washington, D.C.
3. Link school children around the world with children in New York City and
Washington, D.C. and facilitate conversations between these children
through chat rooms and e-mail.
4. Review these general resources that can be used by parents, teachers, and
other caregivers to help children through these difficult days.
The Parent Center: http://www.parentcenter.com/general/34754.html
American Academy of Pediatrics:
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/disastercomm.htm
American Psychological Association:
http://helping.apa.org/therapy/traumaticstress.html#children
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry:
http://www.aacap.org
5. Some general advice from the Child and Family experts includes:
a. Continuously reassure your children that you will help to keep them safe.
b. Turn off the TV. Overexposure to the media can be traumatizing. If your older
children are watching the news, be sure to watch with them.
c. Be aware that your child's age will affect his or her response. Adolescents
in particular may be hard hit by these kinds of events. Obtaining counseling
for a child or adolescent soon after a disaster may reduce long-term effects.
d. Calmly express your emotions, but remember that a composed demeanor will
provide a greater sense of security for your child.
e. Give your children extra time and attention and plan to spend more time with
your children in the following months.
f. Let your children ask questions, talk about what happened, and express their
feelings.
g. Play with children who can't talk yet to help them work out their fears and
respond to the atmosphere around them.
h. Keep regular schedules for activities such as eating, playing and going to
bed to help