Posted by Hemant Mehta in A reader sent me the following email:
I didn’t know if this was the best way to contact you, but I have a question: Now that my family is out of our house because of Hurricane Ike and our living on the government and the kindness of strangers, do you know of any good secular organizations to turn to for help?
There are plenty of churches offering assistance and I certainly appreciate them. But I was just hoping to avoid all the preaching and just get the help for my family. I’m in Dallas right now, but Ill be in Austin by tomorrow.
Thanks for any suggestions you may have.
I don’t know of any atheist charities that cater specifically to other atheists, but there might be individuals who could help.
If you or anyone you know might be able to help this reader’s family, please let me know in the comment section (or by sending me an email) and I’ll get you in contact with the reader.
Thanks, everyone.
There is an Ethical Society in Austin, http://www.esoa.org/, maybe they can help. Also, the Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, which started out as a bunch of Christian churches, looks from its web site as if it is much more broad based by now so they might be able to send our friend to helpful people who don’t proselytize.
http://www.aaimaustin.org/about.html
Considering the situation, maybe you could just deal with any proselytizing instead of waiting for help. I’m pretty sure most religious based charities wouldn’t deny someone aid for simply firmly saying they weren’t interested in the religion.
There are a number of secular organizations and churches (Unitarian churches and the North Texas/Houston Churches of Freethought) in Texas, just look on the Texas Secular Network website (http://www.txsecular.net).
But the Red Cross is a wonderful secular charity- why not seek help from them?
I work for a large non-profit in the Midwest and have experience with case management during disasters. Believe me, that in my opinion your best bet is to keep in contact with the American Red Cross. As well as your states 2-1-1(note, not all states have a 2-1-1).
https://www.211texas.org/211/
In an disaster scenario, we’re all people just trying to put the pieces back together. Religion, race, creed, etc just fall to the wayside(the way it should be!)
Except for the Church of Scientology, who prey on disaster victims for new converts.
Hope that’s some help!
I can’t believe that every single church in this person’s area can’t help him and his family without preaching. There must be a UU church, or a Methodist church, or something like that. Not everyone is a fundie.
I only just saw this post, so it might be too late, but I’m in Austin now. Is there anything this person still needs that we could help with?