Best things to send Alabama tornado victims? Money, water and snacks

Employees at Harvest House Restaurant serve free food to emergency workers and people from the damaged Yarborough Road area. The Salvation Army says monetary donations are the best way to aid victims of Wednesday's tornadoes. (The Huntsville TImes/Bob Gathany)

MOBILE, Ala. -- Open up your purses and wallets: That’s the way to accomplish the most good for the thousands of Alabama households affected by Wednesday’s tornadoes, the head of the local Salvation Army said Thursday.
But there’s also a need for bottled water and snacks, and at least two local groups are accepting those to ferry to emergency crews and tornado victims.
“Even though a lot of people want to donate in-kind things like clothing, we have found that the most effective way is through monetary gifts,” said Major Ted Morris, Mobile/Baldwin area commander of the Salvation Army.
“The reason for this is that the funds are used to purchase supplies that we get right to the front.”
Here are four ways to offer monetary donations to the Salvation Army:

• Go to the national website is www.salvationarmyusa.org.
• Call 1-800-SALARMY begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-SALARMY      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (725-2769).
• Text “give” to 80888.
• Mail a check to the Salvation Army at P.O. Box 100339, Atlanta, GA 30384-0339. Make the check payable to the Salvation Army, and write “April 2011 tornado outbreak” on the memo line.

The American Red Cross is also accepting donations, which can be made online at www.redcrossalcoast.org or www.redcross.org, or by texting “Red Cross” to 90999.
Those who want to donate blood can do so by checking online at www.redcrossblood.org. Put in your ZIP code to find a list of local blood drives.
Also, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers will hold a blood drive today from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the University of South Alabama Medical Center, 2451 Fillingim St. in Mobile, according to a news release.
Donations of bottled water and snacks can be taken to at least two Mobile area locations: The Bay Area Food Bank, on Mobile South Drive in Theodore, and the Kids Kottage, 1781 Dawes Road in west Mobile.
Dave Reaney, Food Bank director, said that those giving donations can come Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
DeeDee Raines, owner of Kids Kottage, wants to fill a 40-foot truck with assistance for Tuscaloosa. Raines said that she’s also hoping for donations of baby formula, diapers, summer children’s and adult clothing, baby food, paper products, toothbrushes and toothpaste and trash bags.
RE/MAX of Gulf Shores, the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach welcome centers and the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce are collecting relief items as well. RE/MAX will be loading its moving truck with items and driving it to Tuscaloosa on Monday.