Here’s what you can do: 

1.  Innkeepers'  Hurricane Relief Fund

2.  Donate housing, labor or more

3.  Auction Donations

4. State and Local B&B Associations

5. Charitable organizations

 

1.  Innkeepers' Hurricane Relief Fund:  To support needy innkeepers and their staff members, please click here to make a donation online, or send checks payable to Innkeepers' Hurricane Relief, c/o BedandBreakfast.com, 700 Brazos Street, Suite B-700, Austin, TX 78701.  No contribution is too small.  Our support means so much to these folks, and we want to show them how everyone in the industry is standing with them.  Some of you wrote for more details on how this fund will operate; we’ve included additional information below; please don’t hesitate to write or call if you have more questions.

·          As there was no way for us to set up a tax-exempt organization in a timely manner, nor have we found any way to give money directly to innkeepers by using an existing charity, we set up a separate bank account, "Innkeepers' Hurricane Relief" so that all checks deposited and disbursed can be easily tracked.

·          A complete report of receipts and disbursements will be available to all donors, although we will respect the recipients’ right to privacy.

·          BedandBreakfast.com has been and will continue to donate a large amount of staff time to this effort, and is also covering all credit card processing costs, so our contribution is a significant one.

·          BedandBreakfast.com has suspended member dues in the affected areas for three months. Please let us know if your property has been affected so that we may assist you. Needs vary tremendously from one property to the next, so we will attempt to assist each property individually.

·          Funds will be distributed to any needy innkeeper, regardless of whether or not they are BedandBreakfast.com members.

·          All interest income generated by the fund will be distributed as well; the goal is to distribute the funds as quickly as possible.

·          The grants will be distributed in flat amounts; we don't have the resources to determine whose needs are greater than others.  We'll send a check or deposit funds in credit card accounts as preferred by the innkeepers.  We will verify that the person requesting funds is in fact a present (or former) innkeeper, so that the monies aren't sent to con artists. We'll be able to do that by checking our own database, and where necessary, working with PAII and/or state B&B associations as well.

·          Credit card payments will have to go through our regular BedandBreakfast.com accounts, but can also be tracked and fully accounted for.

·          All contributors can be thanked by a written note and receipt, upon request.

·          All contributors can be fully acknowledged by BedandBreakfast.com, if desired.

·          As tourism returns to the affected areas, we will do everything possible to generate positive publicity to help folks get back on their feet.

·          We are open to any and all suggestions of ways to improve this effort, and are grateful for the help of all innkeepers and industry vendors.

2. Donate Housing, labor or more:  To provide free or reduced-price housing to homeless innkeepers, check the Professional Association of Innkeepers, International website at  www.paii.org. At present, all innkeepers needing housing have been accommodated, but this may change in the future. If you prefer to donate materials that can be used for rebuilding, or working time to help with construction, click here to contribute to the Innkeepers’ Help Registry.

3. Auction donations: An online auction will soon be available through EBay/Missionfish.org/American Historic Inns/iloveinns.com, allowing properties to donate room-nights which will be auctioned off to travelers; funds raised will go to the Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi B&B Associations, and then to affected innkeepers.  This program is now in development; for more information contact lisa@iloveinns.com.  

4. State and local B&B Associations: If you are active in your B&B association, please pass along the word to your members about the different ways to help everyone in need, as well as the specific members of our industry whose lives have been turned upside down.  Here’s what the Key West innkeepers are doing, for example: 

"Thank you and the entire staff there for everything you're doing.  This is a great program.  We will be sending the notice out to our Inn members, as well as our affiliate members, and the focus of our monthly Membership Social on September 15 will be this effort for our colleagues in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi."  --Dave Taylor, Innkeeper, Cypress House, Chairman, Key West Innkeepers Association

We’ve just heard from the innkeepers of St. Augustine, Florida, that they have raised over $6600 for Innkeepers’ Hurricane Relief , and thank them for their spirit of true generosity  and hospitality.

Most B&B associations have silent auctions at their annual conferences; why not donate the proceeds fellow innkeepers whose B&Bs have been closed or even destroyed by Katrina?

5. Charitable organizations:  For a great list of reputable charities helping the hurricane victims, go to Network for Good.

Hurricane Victims Need Your Help Today