Hurricane Ida  made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall in the same location. Ida first made impact at 11:55 CDT on Sunday August 29, 2021 with sustained winds of up to 150 mph (241 kmh) near Port Fourchon, Louisiana. 
Ida’s winds left upwards of $15B worth of damage as some firms have estimated and the Biden administration declared it a presidential major disaster in order to make more resources for recovery available.
However, Ida’s damage has a much larger impact than just monetary value. The human toll of Ida will be much more massive.
Every single transmission line for power feeding the city of New Orleans with a population of nearly 400,000 people has been knocked down. It led to over a million Louisiana residents without power and it will take weeks for power to be fully restored.
There is a way for all members of the Clemson family to help contribute relief to people affected by Ida, both in Louisiana and other areas. The following organizations are leading relief efforts to combat the damage left in Ida’s wake:
Project HOPE is an organization that has been helping Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and they are sending volunteers to the area. They are helping give out hygiene kits to victims, which includes toiletries such as soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, first aid kits, and N95 masks to reduce COVID-19 transmission. Donations can be made by going to projecthope.org.
The Salvation Army is a widespread national charity known for Santa’s ringing bells during the holiday season. They are currently operating a command unit in the area which includes a laundry unit, showers, and kitchens which produce up to 20,000 meals a day. Donations can be made here. 
Mercy Chefs is also an organisation helping to distribute food to those affected by Ida and they have produced over 15,000,000 meals to victims of natural disasters in the past. They currently have mobile kitchens set up for more distribution of hot meals and donations can be made here 
If you would like to donate items instead of money, Rebuilding Together is partnering with homeowners in Louisiana to rebuild their homes that were impacted by Hurricane Ida. They have an Amazon wishlist with items they need to help rebuild that can be found here. 
Finally, if you would like to donate to other organizations – make sure to check their legitimacy before giving your money or time.
Keep in mind that charities always like cash donations due to its versatility. When in doubt, just give whatever amount of money that is affordable for you and every little bit counts.