Editor's note: For information on helping disaster survivors in Joplin, Mo., see this updated blog post.

Huntsville, AL, May 2, 2011 -- Deputy Administrator Rich Serino (L), discusses the ongoing tornado response with volunteers and Art Faulkner (R), Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director. This group of volunteers is helping to deploy staged food and water, and the power had just gone out in the distribution center.

Through our partners at the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD), there are several trusted sources for helping disaster survivors. Financial contributions to a recognized disaster relief organization is the safest and most effective donation you can make. You can donate money directly to NVOAD members, including texting a donation to the American Red Cross or Salvation Army*. (If you are involved with an organization that may be interested in becoming a member of NVOAD, here’s more information.)

While we work closely with NVOAD members, each state also has its own Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters as well. Here is a list of websites for some of the impacted states, with more information on volunteering or donating to the response efforts:

• Alabama
• Mississippi
• Georgia
• Tennessee
• North Carolina
• Kentucky
• Virginia

And in case you’re interested in the most effective ways to disaster survivors after any disasters, visit this page. For the latest updates on the ongoing response and recovery to the southeast tornadoes, visit the Severe Storms / Tornadoes category on the blog.