A donation can be made on the web at the Red Cross website. You might consider making the donation in honor of ACM SIGGRAPH, or SIGGRAPH 96 or SIGGRAPH 2000.

You might also consider donating to the Profesional Convention Management Association (PCMA). PCMA has setup a fund that is directly geared toward assistance to the Hospitality Industry. These are the people that we have worked with directly in New Orleans. Many of the people we have worked with have lost everything and some are still missing. Since tourism is the Number One industry in New Orleans, if we work to get the tourism industry back on track ultimately we are helping the hundreds of thousands of others who are poor and homeless by bringing jobs back to the city.

Here is a message from the ACM President, David Patterson, on this issue:

Over the last several days, the destructive effects of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf region of the United States have become distressingly clear. We extend our sympathies to the countless people throughout the area who are experiencing loss and suffering, and to our ACM members in the affected states who have been touched by this tragedy.

The technology community is well-positioned to contribute its particular expertise to the devastation resulting from this storm. If you would like to join in this critical aid effort, we suggest two organizations aimed at applying technology to this urgent situation.

The Wireless Internet Service Providers Organization, known as PART-15.org, is working with the Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reestablish internal communications and provide connectivity to those affected by Katrina. This organization offers opportunities to volunteer equipment, personnel or supplies, to donate funds, and to provide shelter relief services http://www.part-15.org/emergencyrelief/katrina.html.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Emergency Resource Registry http://www.swern.gov/ provides opportunities for those interested in donating communications-related expertise or equipment, including laptop or notebook computers and network construction and maintenance equipment.

If you know of any other organizations focusing on technology-related relief efforts that are accepting contributions, please forward this information, and we will post it on the ACM Home Page. For those interested in contributing to those organizations identified by FEMA for support of Katrina relief efforts, they are listed online at http://www.fema.gov/press/2005/katrinadonations.shtm.

As we reach out to help our fellow citizens in these trying times, we are keenly aware of the strength of our community, the resources we possess, and the salvation that comes from lending support to those in need. Your comments and feedback to this effort are welcome.