Relief Efforts for Survivors of Moore, and other Tornadoes in Oklahoma

How to Help: Give to the Red Cross

The best way to help Oklahoma disaster victims is to go online to make a donation at RedCross.org and designate that gift for Oklahoma Disaster Relief. 

Donate | Volunteer | Assist OU Families | Buy Relief Shirt

This Memorial Day as we honor our veterans, here in Oklahoma the American Legion headquartered in Indianapolis has donated $1 million to help veterans who lost their homes in the Moore tornado.  Veterans from around the Country are in Moore helping out their fellow veterans recover.


It has been nothing short of amazing to watch people come from all over to help Moore start the clean-up effort after the first days of search and rescue.  University of Oklahoma under the leadership of President Boren has been on the front lines with providing rooms on campus, a staging area for supplies and rooms for the search and rescue people who are here in the area.

The University of Oklahoma has housed over 600 individuals to date, including displaced families, members of the National Guard, as well as members of Urban Search and Rescue Teams from across the country.  For individuals who have continuing shelter needs, the emergency housing hotline is: 405-325-2511. Please call ahead as space is limited.

The University is also providing meal service and a common area for displaced individuals and recovery crews at Couch Cafeteria. 

This video from OU Athletic Director says it all about OU and how it is such a part of the community and the State by helping with the start of clean-up in Moore:


Yesterday as I was watching the Big 12 Baseball Championship game and all through the tournament the Big 12 kept asking people to give to the tornado victims fund that has been set up at the Red Cross.  The Big 12 donated to the Red Cross.  Commissioner Bowlsby had this to say:

The conference announced a $200,000 donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund on Wednesday. 

“The Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship is a long standing fixture in Oklahoma City. Additionally, the state of Oklahoma and its wonderful people are integral parts of our league,” commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a statement. 

“Our hearts go out to those affected by this terrible tragedy and this donation is one small way to provide relief to a city that has supported our membership so well over many years.” 

Additionally, Kansas, TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor, (WVU) and OU players were spotted out donating goods to the victims and all teams will wear a helmet decal to honor Oklahoma this weekend.

University of Oklahoma baseball team went to Moore to help on Wednesday instead of taking batting practice.  They ended up winning the Big 12 Championship yesterday and will auction off their blue t-shirts this week to raise funds for the tornado victims.  Coach Galloway is wearing the blue shirt under his uniform in the picture above.

The OU Foundation is looking to help victims of the tornadoes with OU ties:

The Help OUr Neighbor Fund has been created to benefit OU faculty, staff and students who lost homes or property in the recent tornadoes in the Oklahoma City area. Any and all donations received in this fund will go directly to those students or employees whose homes and property were lost. All gifts are tax-deductible. Thank you for your support and considering helping those members of our OU family who have lost so much in this tragic incident

Over the weekend, OU was host to the Texas A&M women's softball for the Super Regional.  Sooners fans donated $4,800.32 to the United Way in two Super Regional games!  Texas A&M softball brought  $4685 it raised and a 30-ft truck carrying donated items to the Super Regional.  OU's rallying cry for the Super Regional was Playing for Moore Than Ourselves

West Virginia's Baseball team was here for the Big 12 Championship early when the tornado hit so they went on a shopping spree at Walmart for the Moore tornado relief:

OU's various sports teams, coaches, faculty, and administrators have been out helping victims of the tornadoes that hit first on Sunday by Lake Thunderbird and then in Shawnee and on Monday afternoon the F-5 hit Moore.  We just had a group of Sooner athletes return from Haiti who have been going down to help every year since the earthquake devastated that country.

A group of dozens of OU athletic personnel, from athletes to administrators, helped residents in the tornado-ravaged Heatherwood neighborhood. Their mission was largely manual labor, with some morale-boosting mixed in, too.

OU athletic director Joe Castiglione on Saturday missed his softball team's Super Regional game and his baseball team's Big 12 Tournament semifinal. 

For good reason. He was needed elsewhere. 

A group of dozens of OU athletic personnel, from athletes to administrators, helped residents in the tornado-ravaged Heatherwood neighborhood. Their mission was largely manual labor, with some morale-boosting mixed in, too. 

“This is my home,” said offensive lineman Bronson Irwin. “This is my state. I always want to help people if they need help.”

Saturday, a busload of Sooners got busy helping clean up. Among them were Irwin and quarterback Trevor Knight, and assistant coaches Jay Norvell and Tim Kish  

Very impressed with the college athletes today who are so quick to jump in and help people in need.  We saw up close and personal this week here in Oklahoma.  Our Country is in great hands in the future with today's young people who put service first.

Boomer!