"All Hands" Hurricane Relief Trip
UPDATE:
My younger brother Sean Lotz is going to be joining me on this amazing trip down to Texas. Please consider this GoFundMe to be OUR fundraising page, as we will be sharing the funds raised to get us down to TX and donate to All hands afterward for the housing and food expenses. Myoriginal goal of $3,628 was only for my expenses. I have adjusted for Sean to come. Thank you for all your support!
I will be driving down to Texas with my brother Sean on January 2nd, 2018 to help with the Hurricane Harvey Relief effort and I need your help. 
"All Hands Volunteers" is a non-profit organization dedicated to sending willing and able volunteers to help with disaster relief efforts around the world. All Hands sends volunteers to these disaster sites to help rebuild communities that have been devastated by catastrophic events that leave homes and lives in ruins. They rebuild hope in communities, and in the lives of the volunteers involved.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=L9bhpQljRdc
I was blessed with the opportunity to go down to Texas to assist with this life changing work alongside my younger brother. "All Hands" will house and feed us while We are there, but due to the massive number of volunteers that they support (over 700 in TX since August 2017) they ask for financial support with these costs.
https://www.hands.org/projects/texas-hurricane-response/
I would be honored to raise my goal of $4,158 by the New Year so that we can depart New York on January 2nd with confidence that We will have the funds to support myself and Sean through my two month commitment in Texas.
Here's how your donation will contribute to our volunteer journey to help Texas rebuild from Hurricane Harvey:
$600:Travel to and from Texas
$100/day
This includes my gas and accomodations for the 3 day drive down to Houston/ back to NY. I hope to stay with family/ friends / camp along the way.
$800:Travel Within Texas/Vehicle Expenses
$100/week
This money will allow me to own my car while I am there and get to see a little bit of the area I am in.
$1,050: Food and Drink
$15/day
This money will be donated to all hands for my food and drink while in service, and my food while off work. I will have my camp stove and kitchen kit for the times I am not in service to cook for myself. Being vegan, I may need to use some of these funds to suppliment the food at base camp since all hands can only provide vegeterian dinner. This also accounts for Sean's meals for the 2 weeks he is staying.
$1,400: Housing
$20/day
I will be donating this portion of the funds to All Hands for housing me. All hands also requires me to take a 3 day break for every 30 days of work, so I will save some of this money to live off site for that time in between my two months there. This also includes the 2 weeks Sean is staying on base.
$308: GoFundMe Fees
Service fees for at ~8% comes out to which is one of the most reasonable fees of all crowdfunding services.
~All funds raised past my goal will be used as backup in case of emergency until the trip is over and will then be donated to All Hands.
https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1YDGCRLGV5QGG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_ws_oQp1zb4PG6XHX
If you want to donate directly to All Hands, visit their website at https://www.hands.org.
I am just about to finish up my 10 month Americorps service term with the Student Conservation Association as an Environmental Educator and I feel the calling to use my skills in volunteer coordination and leadership that I have gained to help those in need. I am blessed to have this time in the next year free of responsibility, debt and obligation to serve those who have been struck by this massive force of nature. Harvey was the most powerful hurricane to hit the U.S. since 2005, and even surpassed the impacts of Sandy. This is a disaster that will be in the process of recovery for years to come.
We are ready to serve the people of Texas, and would be forever grateful to you for helping us facilitate this service trip. Please help me make my dream a reality and send me and Sean to Texas to help those in desperate need. Any donation amount is greatly appreciated and will get us one step closer to the Gulf Coast.
Love Always,
Sean and Alex Lotz
