As the Holidays creep around the corner, everybody gets into the giving mood. This year calls for massive doses of the community generosity especially after the Halloween flooding.

We as a staff believe that it is the job of people in the community to help out those in need.

The floods that inundated Onion Creek and Bluff Springs neighborhoods on  Halloween have affected many students from Akins. It left 200 students around the district without a roof overhead.

Giving simple things like cans of food, clothing and small monetary donations help out. A couple of cans may seem tiny but it could be what a family of four is depending on for dinner.

Groups like National Honor Society and Akins Cares spent their weekends cleaning up the damaged neighborhoods.

We think that this isn’t only an opportunity to help those struck by disaster, but also a chance to come together in a chaotic time during the holidays.

Besides the local flooding, other tragedies around the world demand our attention and assistance.

Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the island nation of the Philippines on Nov. 8, is estimated to have killed more than 2,000 people and left another half million homeless. With little, or no help, the devastation still lingers in huge masses of the people who survived this disaster.

Citizens helping one another and volunteers working together is the only way to ensure the safety and rebuilding of the homes, businesses and lives that were once there and flourishing.

Akins students can help people in the Philippines by making a monetary donation to the Red Cross, UNICEF or various other humanitarian relief programs.

In our own community, Akins students can help a host of programs to help victims of the flood or others in need by giving to the following organizations:

Austin Humane Society:

People can donate money to the Austin humane society, who currently has over 130 pets displaced by the floods

Blue Santa: This organization works to provide Austin families with a full holiday meal and toys for children under the age of 14.

Buck’s Barn:

This organization collects presents year-round, then set up a shop at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin during the first weekend in December each year.

United Way of Greater Austin:

This organization is collecting donations for long-term recovery efforts. People can donate $10 by texting UWATX to 85944.

Students can also help by volunteering with the Austin Disaster Relief Network.

The organization is looking for volunteers to work with clean up efforts as well as people who can work in the warehouse, which distributes food and household supplies to those in need.

During this holiday season, don’t forget the less fortunate around the world and even here at home.