Sheila Beasley and her mom, Mary, got lost on their way to a concert in McDonald Saturday and detoured through Oakdale, a community socked by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan.

Beasley, of the North Side, saw frightened people, in tears, salvaging what they could, who still took the time to help them find their way.

"My mom and I were humbled and knew we needed to do something," she said.

They put together clothing and called to find out what else would be needed. Today, they'll take the goods, including paper products and cleaning supplies, to Millvale Community Center, in one of the areas hardest hit by last week's floods.

The two are part of an expanding arc of individuals and organizations helping neighbors and strangers get back on their feet.

Among them are staff and volunteers of North Hills Community Outreach, a group founded to provide relief after the 1986 floods.

The floods destroyed the first-floor offices of the group's Millvale site. It lost office furniture and equipment.

Wendy Gordon, the group's spokeswoman, was pleased that more than 25 volunteers came out to clean and help the group continue to serve the needs of others.

"People are coming out of the woodwork to help," she said.

The top donation needs for the organization are cleaning supplies, bleach, buckets, mops and goggles. It also seeks donations to help with furnace repair or replacement; food to stock its pantries; temporary housing for displaced people; furniture donations and clothing, which goes directly to Millvale Community Center, at 400 Lincoln Ave.

For more on what the organization needs and what volunteers can do, visit www.nhco.org.

In Sharpsburg, Network of Hope, a 2-year-old charity built from a consortium of North Hills churches, is serving hot meals this week at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall at 13th and Main streets from 3 to 7 p.m. On Monday, the group served about 250 meals.

Later this week, Network of Hope is opening a relief center in a warehouse at 23rd and Main streets. It is accepting food donations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. all week. It is also asking for cash donations, furniture, toiletries, cleaning products and small appliances. For more information, call 412-492-4030.

The Allegheny County Bar Association is offering free legal advice on insurance, real estate or any other disaster-related question: Call 412-261-5555, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Today, The Salvation Army will open four service centers: Chartiers Valley, 505 Washington Ave., Carnegie; Tarentum, 209 Corbet St.; Braddock, 300 Holland Ave.; and Sharpsburg, Seneca Area Emergency Services station, 1885 Main St. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For disaster assistance information, contact your local Salvation Army service center listed in the white pages, or call 412-394-4885.

Financial contributions may be made online at www.1800salarmy.org or by calling 800-725-2769. Checks may be sent to The Salvation Army, 424 Third Ave., Pittsburgh 15219. "Hurricane Relief" should be indicated in the memo section. All funds will stay within Western Pennsylvania for assistance as needed.

Catholic Charities said families whose homes have been damaged can call 412-456-6976 in Allegheny County; in surrounding counties, call 800-321-2273. Help will be given as long as resources are available.

Catholic Charities will provide counseling to deal with the emotional impact and its trained staff can also help callers identify other community assistance resources.

To make a contribution to Catholic Charities in support of flood relief, call 412-456-6969, or go to www.ccpgh.org.

The American Red Cross of Southwestern Pennsylvania has been providing safety tips on assessing home damage, when to get tetanus shots and where to find emotional support.

Financial donations can be made at www.swpa.redcross.org, click on "donate now." Or donate via mail at American Red Cross, SWPA Chapter, Box 371997, Pittsburgh 15251-7997.

If you would like to donate toward the Disaster Relief Fund (to help victims of local flooding, national hurricanes and other disasters), please put "Disaster Relief Fund" on your check's memo line, or if you donate online you can earmark "American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund."

To have your donation remain local, print on your check's memo line "Southwestern Pa. chapter," or if you donate online you can earmark "Local Chapter Only."

Other communities and groups have established help centers or are seeking aid or volunteers. Here are some:

The United Jewish Federation 234 McKee Place, Pittsburgh, 15213. www.ujf.net, Telephone 412-681-8000 or fax 412-681-3980.

In Oakdale, there is an immediate need for cleaning products and supplies and first aid supplies, which may be dropped off at Oakdale Fire Department, 6111 Noblestown Road.

A relief and collection center for flood victims and volunteers has been set up at Oakdale United Presbyterian Church, 62 Hastings Ave. Volunteers are needed to serve food and coordinate this effort. Donations of prepared food that does not need to be cooked are preferred.

For furniture and first-floor items -- dishes, silverware, cookware and small and large appliances -- donors are requested to call the church at 724-693-8950 and leave name, address and telephone number. Volunteers will arrange to have victims contact donors directly.

Butler County Flood Info Line, 724-285-6789, which operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., needs volunteers to help answer flood victims' questions and take calls from donors of supplies or money.

Westmoreland County Flood Info Line, 724-600-7362, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., needs volunteers to help answer flood victims' questions.

Greene County opened a shelter on Monday for victims displaced by the flooding there. It is in the basement of the 4H building at the Greene County Fairgrounds on Route 21, east of Waynesburg; the shelter will remain open as long as needed.

On Monday, members of Concerned Citizens and Taxpayers of Carnegie and the borough agreed to start a flood recovery fund. Checks should be made out to the borough, with the words Flood Recovery Fund written on the checks. Donors may cite a family, business or organization that they would like their money to go to. Donations are tax-deductible and there will be no administrative costs. Call 412-276-1414.

In Oakmont, St. Irenaeus Church, which served as a shelter, will continue to provide meals at 5 p.m. through today and is a collection site for cleaning and hygiene products, food and money.

In Butler County, where more than 600 homes have been damaged, those who need assistance should call "Flood Help for Butler County" at 734-285-6789, which is staffed by The United Way from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After 5 p.m., the number to call is: 1-800-944-1449. Residents may also contact the Butler County Assistance office at 724-284-8844. Financial donations can be made to Butler County United Way, which will disburse the money to agencies assisting flood victims. Send checks to: American Red Cross, 312 Mercer St., Butler, PA 16001, and memo Butler County Flood Victims. To donate by credit card, call 724-283-2810.

Donations of nonperishable food items, clothing and shoes, cleaning supplies, furniture, new towels and bed linens are being accepted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Flood Assistance Warehouse, at the National Guard Armory on Kriess Road in Connoquenessing.

For those who want to volunteer, call 724-738-CARE.