Oil Spill - How to Help

Girl Scouts Louisiana East appreciates all who have contacted us, looking for ways to help our local Louisiana wildlife, the coast which is being threatened by the oil spill, and those whose livelihood has been affected by the oil spill and moratorium.

Support the Girl Scouts whose families have been adversely affected through loss of income, etc.

Volunteer and Community Service Opportunities

There are several organizations that you can contact that are mobilizing cleanup efforts for the animals and their delicate ecosystems that are being affected by this disaster. Please contact the organizations below to see what supplies are needed and where you can send your donated supplies. With so many environmental organizations that are dedicated to the cleanup effort our council

“is not” collecting any materials or supplies for distribution.

 

Cleaning Supplies Needed

Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Volunteer Program - BTNEP is actively involved in efforts to safeguard Louisiana's precious wetlands from the potential impacts of the massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Their volunteer program has a list of supplies that they are requesting at http://volunteer.btnep.org (Items like clorox wipes, duct tape, bug spray, yellow kitchen cleaning gloves, baby wipes, orange soap hand cleaner soap, etc.) Where they accept shipment depends on what supplies are being sent.  When you are ready to ship, send an email to mel@btnep.org listing what you'll be sending and they will provide the most appropriate address for delivery.

Food for families affected

Second Harvest Food Bank is looking for canned meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, pasta, rice, beans, to help them serve residents in the Louisiana coastal parishes that have been immediately impacted by the Gulf oil spill. They report that immediate relief to residents in Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes is underway, and have already provided hundreds of families with emergency food boxes. They are working with community volunteers, agencies and businesses to deliver food to underserved areas along the coastal region and have reached out to the emergency preparedness offices and local faith-based and nonprofit organizations in St. Tammany, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Terrebonne, Lafourche, Orleans and Jefferson Parishes to offer assistance when it is needed. Questions? Taylor Smiley at 504-729-2820.

The Community Center of St Bernard is looking for donations of rice, pasta, any canned vegetables, canned or bottled beverages, canned or bags of beans, canned fruit and other basic foods for its Mustard Seed Food Pantry. The Community Center provides food for over 230 families a week from St Bernard, Orleans and surrounding parishes. Due to the recent oil spill in the Gulf, they ’ve seen an increase of nearly 37% in the amount of food needed to provide for the families. For more information, please contact Krystle Johnson, Distribution Manager at 504-281-2512 or email mustardseed@ccstb.com.