Many people want to know how to help Orlando, Florida, after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history claimed 50 lives at a gay nightclub early Sunday morning.
Giving blood and donating money are among the most
common efforts, according to CNN.
Several crowdfunding campaigns have also been established. Equality Florida, a nonprofit LGBT civil rights organization, had raised more than
$1.6 million by noon Monday on GoFundMe.
LGBT advocacy group The Center raised more than $200,000 with its
GoFundMe campaign by midday Monday.
Planting Peace set a
$100,000 goal on its CrowdRise campaign to help with funeral and medical costs for the victims and survivors. The campaign had raised about $27,000 by midday Monday.
Rating organizations like Charity Navigator and Guidestar can help identify reputable
organizations, Money magazine reported, adding that people should avoid giving donations via Facebook or Twitter directly.
Hundreds of people lined up at local blood bank OneBlood on Sunday morning to donate
blood and plasma, WFTV reported.
The blood bank quickly met its immediate needs for blood that day, but spokesman Pat Michaels told the station there would be an urgent need for O negative, O positive, and AB plasma in the coming days.
Complicating the need for blood are U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules that have historically prevented men who've recently had sex with other men from donating blood. While restrictions have been loosened, they remain a factor at OneBlood, which hasn't updated its
policies, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Time magazine suggested that concerned people can also help by attending a vigil or providing counseling services.
A hotline for call-in counseling was established to serve the LGBT community in Orlando, Sentinel reporter Paul Brinkmann tweeted.