House pets floating on wooden doors, drenched people climbing into rescue boats, whole families living in garages. Hurricane Harvey has torn into our own country and impacted people close to us who now face bitter times. However, any person with a desire to contribute to the relief efforts of recent natural disasters has the power to do so — and should.

Before taking action, it is important to know the facts and figures. Hurricane Harvey started as a regenerated tropical depression over the Gulf of Mexico. In only 56 hours, it grew to be a Category 4 hurricane as it made landfall in Texas on August 25 with winds of 130 mph near Rockport. It hovered over southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana as a tropical storm and dropped 40-52 inches of rainfall, or 27 trillion gallons of water in six days, according to The Weather Channel. Catastrophic flooding ensued in areas of Texas, Arkansas, and Kentucky from August 31st to September 1st and finally, after 117 hours as a storm, it became a depression once again. Continental tropical cyclone rain records were broken in this mesmerizing event of nature. But where does that leave the millions of people impacted by Hurricane Harvey?

Residents of Louisiana and Texas have suffered extensive property damage, indefinite displacement, an estimated $75 billion in losses, and a death toll of at least 82 according to CNN. However, there are incredible stories of heroism to be found in which people at risk have been bravely saved from the command of the storm. The Washington Post shares many stories of neighbors, strangers, and first responders alike who put their life on the line to help the rescue effort. Even “a preacher up to his waist in muddy water checked marooned cars for victims trapped inside.” Now that the initial rescuing is over, these people need temporary shelter. These people need resources to fix damage. These people need medical supplies like feminine products and diapers. And they need help to get them.

Where do you fit into this picture as a compassionate fellow being without the ability to fly around the world and personally save people in need? Well, quite simply, the best thing a high school-age Seattle resident can do is to donate. Experts say that dollars are more helpful in natural disaster relief than items. Well-meaning donors sending blankets, clothing, and food to disaster-ridden areas are oftentimes merely sending them to a place with a low capacity to hold the physical objects. With the lack of warehouses available, it is vital that donors instead choose one of over 300 GoFundMe campaigns, the Red Cross, or the Salvation Army and trust those groups to use the money for exactly what kind of supplies they need. Hurricane Harvey may seem like old news on your timeline, but restoration for the residents will take years and they need all the sustainability they can get.

Seattle Prep immediately responded to the disaster by connecting with our sister Jesuit schools in Houston. Mrs. Ford worked with the presidents of Strake Jesuit High School and Cristo Rey San Jose to identify the greatest needs of those communities and found that cash donations were needed to support families affected and recovering local businesses. A fundraiser was started and has so far raised $500. Of course, any money that goes to a good cause like this is something to be celebrated. However, compare this figure to how much we raised for the 2015 Christmas Giving Tree: $4,403.92. Think of all the people who were motivated to bring in money for the class fundraising competition. The Prep community is capable of so much more than what we have done for hurricane victims if everyone makes a commitment, be it big or small, to help out victims at our sister schools and all over the world.

Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean islands, Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, and the magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Mexico have since devastated even more communities around the world. The need for both local and global support has increased, and should you choose to go online and find a campaign or to drop a cash donation in a tin can at school, you could be a hero in a meaningful way. I challenge everyone reading this to come up with creative ideas to raise money and put those thoughts into action. Nature is mighty, but so is our ability to make a difference for people all over the world.