There are a number of ways to support relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The most effective route is to donate cash to one of the following organizations:

? The American Red Cross: (800) HELP-NOW (800-435-7669)

Donations also may be mailed to local chapters at 33 Mildred Ave., Bangor 04401, or 312 Broadway, Rockland 04841. Donors also may give online at www.redcross.org.

? The Salvation Army: (800) SAL-ARMY (800-725-2769)

? Catholic Charities Maine: (800) 781-8550, or mail to Catholic Charities Maine, P.O. Box 10660, Portland 04104. All Catholic parishes in the state will take up a special collection the weekend of Sept. 17-18. The funds from these collections will be sent to Catholic Charities Maine for distribution to the Gulf Coast.

? United Methodist Church Committee on Relief: (800) 841-1235 (hot line), or (800) 554-8583 (UMCOR information service); Web site: www.methodistrelief.org. Send donations to: UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, N.Y. 10087-9068; all donations for Hurricane Katrina should be marked with the number 982523.

? The American Jewish Committee: Donations may be made at www.ajc.org.

? For information on volunteering, contact the Maine Emergency Management Agency at (800) 452-8735.

? For information on missing people, contact the National Next of Kin Registry at www.nokr/nok/restricted/home.html.

? The Humane Society of Northwest Louisiana and the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association have created an emergency medical shelter for pets of evacuees. To make a donation, call the Humane Society at (318) 219-PETS, or visit www.hsnwla.org. To donate to Noah’s Wish, a not-for-profit organization dedicated solely to rescuing pets from disaster areas, visit www.noahs-wish.org.

? United Way: To donate by credit card, visit the Web site at https://volunteer.united-e-way.org/hurricanekatrina/donate/.

Checks may be sent to: United Way of America, P.O. Box 630568 Baltimore, Md. 21263-0568. Make checks payable to UWA and reference “Hurricane Katrina Response Fund” in the memo.

? Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of the USA: To donate to the fund established by the BPO Elks Grand Lodge, send checks to Hurricane Katrina Elks Disaster Relief Fund, 2750 North Lakeview Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60614-1889.

? United Jewish Communities: Donations to help members of the Jewish and general communities affected by Hurricane Katrina may visit www.ujc.com. Contributions also may be mailed to UJC Inc. Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief, P.O. Box 30, Old Chelsea Station, New York, N.Y. 10113. Be sure to write “UJC Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief.”

? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is managing the national medical relief effort. Physicians and other medical professionals with any state license who can commit to short-term, long-term or rotating coverage are urgently needed in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Florida.

Call (800) 272-2707 to provide assistance.

? NAACP: The Greater Bangor chapter of the NAACP is accepting donations to aid hurricane victims at P.O. Box 477, Old Town 04468. A meeting to discuss possible further assistance is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor at 120 Park St.

? Anyone with housing space available for hurricane victims is encouraged to register through MoveOn, a political action group, at www.moveon.org., or www.hurricanehousing.org.

? Organizations, agencies, and corporations with resources that may be made available to the response agencies should register with FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, at www.fema.org.