Sep 02, 2005  |  By: EARTHA JANE MELZER and ANDREW KEEGAN | COMMENTS     

at Red Cross headquarters in Washington, D.C., said money donated for relief efforts cannot be designated for specific groups. The Red Cross is the primary rescue agency involved in the relief effort spanning Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.

"We help anyone who needs it," said Greg Lanser, "regardless of any affiliation." Donations can be made via the Red Cross Web site, redcross.org, or by calling 800-HELP-NOW.

Atlanta resident John Brown echoed the sentiment of numerous Web postings.

"I chose to donate to the American Red Cross as they are on the ground now and are in the most immediate need of cash," Brown said. "In light of the scale of this disaster, I thought it important not to limit who ultimately receives my donation. For me, at this point, it’s about humanity, not sexuality."

Brown, who works for Time Warner, donated through networkforgood.com. He said the company is matching all employee gifts made through that Web site.

For those who specifically want their donation earmarked to assist gay victims, there are options.

The Montrose Counseling Center in Houston is accepting monetary donations to assist with shelter, clothing, gas money and bus tokens, according to Huffer.

New Orleans evacuees who had been housed at the Super Dome were transferred to the Houston Astrodome. Red Cross officials said they planned for 23,000 evacuees to be housed in the Astrodome.

Donations can be made through the organization’s Web site, montrosecounselingcenter.org, or by calling the center at 713-529-0037.

The Montrose Counseling Center is also operating a hotline, 713-529-3211, to assist gay evacuees and provide information for individuals interested in donating money or housing.

Sally Huffer, who is coordinating the relief effort for the organization, said hotel rooms are filling and victims of Hurricane Katrina are finding it more difficult to locate places to live in Houston.

Huffer said the center is creating a database of gay Houstonians who want to open their homes for gay people displaced by the storm.

"We screen each prospective homeowner to see what they can provide," she said. "Some take smokers, some take pets, and some can handle couples."

Several national gay organizations joined the National Youth Advocacy Council in Washington, D.C., in launching the Hurricane Katrina LGBT Relief Fund.

"The next few days are critical," said Craig Bowman, executive director of the non-profit that works to end discrimination for gay youth. "No amount is too small to make a difference."

Bowman said the tax-deductible contributions would be used to "support humanitarian relief for LBGTQ youth and families from the devastated areas."

Donations made at the agency’s Web site, nyacyouth.org, will be forwarded to local organizations dealing with evacuees, he said.

The Human Rights Campaign is referring gays wanting to help victims of the hurricane to the Rainbow World Fund,