As Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath continue to unfold on the Gulf Coast of Texas, AASLH staff, Council, and members are preparing to travel to the Lone Star State for #AASLH17 in Austin on September 6-9. The location of the 2017 Annual Meeting allows us an opportunity to give back to our host state and its cultural institutions in a time of great need. When the conference kicks off in Texas next week, we still may not know the full extent of the damage to museums and history organizations in the path of the storm. We do, however, have the ability to leave resources behind after we depart to aid our colleagues as they rebuild.
AASLH Hurricane Harvey Cultural Relief Fund
We invite you to contribute to the AASLH Hurricane Harvey Cultural Relief Fund. You can donate online, by mail, or in-person at the AASLH Annual Meeting. All funds collected between August 29 and September 15 will be given to one of our Texas partners to be distributed to cultural organizations hit hard by the storm.
Click one of the links below to donate today or bring your donation with you to the Annual Meeting and you can leave it at the AASLH Registration Desk.
100% of the funds collected will be distributed to cultural institutions affected by the storm. Thank you for helping our Texas colleagues in their time of need.
Virtual Volunteers
If you have experience or training in responding to natural disasters, please sign up below to serve as a point of contact and informational resource for staff at the many museums, special collections, historic sites, and other institutions working to respond to the challenges Hurricane Harvey has introduced. Our local host committee specifically asked for this assistance from AASLH members as our colleagues in Texas and Louisiana are likely to have many questions about disaster recovery. AASLH staff also will be circulating sign-up forms at the Annual Meeting in Austin next week.
Resources for Institutions Damaged by the Hurricane
We have compiled a list of resources and contact information for helping history organizations and museums recover from a natural disaster. Please share this information widely.
Volunteer Opportunities in Texas
Many attendees coming to the Annual Meeting in Austin have asked about volunteer opportunities they can do while in Texas to aid in Hurricane Harvey recovery. AASLH has been advised by our local host committee that cultural institutions in the disaster area will not be prepared to receive volunteers in time for the conference. The Texas Tribune has provided the resources listed below for people interested in volunteer work. Please note that many of these may involve training and advance scheduling.
- Volunteers can sign up for trips to the affected area through organizations like Samaritan’s Purse, Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. Red Cross volunteer teams are being coordinated out of local chapters who will then travel to Texas.
- Volunteer Houston has launched a virtual Volunteer Reception Center to aid nonprofit agencies in flood relief efforts. More information here.