As Houston and South Texas continue to reel following Hurricane Harvey’s destruction, Brooklyn businesses have risen to the occasion across the borough to organize ways for locals to raise money and resources for victims of the disaster. There’s options for most every budget and time availability – you can help by riding the Wonder Wheel, cleaning out your basement, painting and eating nachos thanks to the creative fundraisers being hosted across the borough.
You can also help from your couch by donating online through the Red Cross (which is experiencing so many donations their site is crashing), the SPCA of Texas, the Houston Humane Society. (Don’t just throw your money at any allegedly charitable website helping victims – vet the organizations before you give.)
Here are some of the Hurricane Harvey relief events and fundraisers happening in Brooklyn in this month:
Texas Diaper Bank fundraiser
September 3 – 9
Small-batch Texas-style kolache maker Brooklyn Kolache will be donating 100 percent of all gift cards purchased in-store and online to the Texas Diaper Bank this week. ($25+)
Texas-shaped chicken and waffles
September 6, all day
Chef Treva Chadwell and husband John of BeeHive Oven will be donating a portion of their chicken and waffles sales. (BeeHive Oven)
Chips and queso
September 5, all day
Bed-Stuy’s “Filipino meets Tex-Mex” eatery will be donating 100 percent of today’s chips and queso sales to Hurricane relief. (Swell Dive NYC, $7)
DSA Harvey Relief Fundraiser
September 8, 8pm – midnight
The Democratic Socialists of America are hosting a fundraiser to send money to the Houston DSA so they can purchase and deliver supplies – water, food, tarps, etc. – to those in need. There’ll be music, merch, a cash bar with by donation beer and wine, and an afterparty at Idlewild Bar. Can’t make it? You can donate to the Houston DSA online here. (Mayday Space, $20 suggested donation)
BIZARRE Bushwick Harvey Fundraiser
September 8, 9pm – 4am
Unite, stand and dance together in solidarity with those suffering 1,650 miles away in Houston. BIZARRE Bushwick will be raising money for a variety of relief and aid groups. There’s no cover and 10 percent of the night’s alcohol proceeds will be donated. There’ll be 10 local DJs and live painting by Adal Ray of Majestic Tattoo NYC. (BIZARRE Bushwick, FREE)
Wonder Wheel
September 9, all day
“Like so many of you, my family and I aren’t sure what we should do, we only know what we can do, and we have this wonderful wheel,” Deno Vourderis says in a video announcing that 100 percent of this Saturday’s Wonder Wheel ticket sales will be used to provide relief in the form of food, water, clothing and shelter to Harvey victims. (Deno’s Wonder Wheel, Coney Island, $8/adult)
Luna Park
September 10, all day
Luna Park will donate 10 percent of its park-wide sales to the JJ Watt Foundation’s Houston Flood Relief Fund on Sunday, September 10.
Greenlight Bookstore
September 11 to 15
Greenlight will be donating 10 percent of all sales, at both their brick and mortar locations and online, to Oxfam America, an organization currently dedicated to hurricane relief and rebuilding.
Donate items in Gowanus
Ongoing
Canal Bar is now collecting new and unused household items to send down south. They’re looking for bleach, pet food, litter, cleaning supplies, toiletries, baby supplies and anything else you imagine would be useful for a family who just lost everything. (Canal Bar, FREE)
Painting It Forward
September 23, 7 – 9pm
Park Slope paint shop Pinot’s Palette is hosting a “paint and sip” class from which all proceeds will be donated to Global Giving’s Harvey relief fund. Enjoy a night of drank and paint in the name of helping Hurricane victims. (Pinot’s Palette, $38)
Nitehawk Cinema
All of September
Nitehawk will be donating $4 from every Tito’s Vodka, “Adventureland Stash” or Austin Eastcider to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.
Wouldn’t you love all this Brokeing news in your inbox? Subscribe!