Here’s How You Can Help The City of Paris From Where You Are

There’s still a lot we don’t know about the attacks that occurred in the city of Paris, France—claiming the lives of over a hundred people and wounding many others. They were unexpected and horrifying, and prompted French President François Hollande to declare a state of emergency, which hadn’t occurred since 2005. These assaults come just months after the city suffered the loss of 11 lives at Charlie Hebdo magazine earlier in the year.

If anything, however, the acts of kindness and support that have emerged within the past several hours are a testament to the resilience and strength of the people of Paris. Citizens are using the hashtag #PorteOuverte (or, “open door”) on Twitter to offer shelter to tourists and non-French speakers in the aftermath of these attacks.

The hashtag also spread to Facebook, where the site has launched a Safety Check so those in the affected areas can confirm to loved ones that they are safe.

For those of us watching from a distance and wishing there was something we could do, there are ways to help by contributing to relief efforts. If you want to donate, you can support the International Federation of Red Cross, an organization which directly helps the French Red Cross, by going here.

(image via Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images)

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