Note: Post last updated at noon on April 17th.
On April 15, two bombs went off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon around 2:50 p.m. Some early reports cite scores of injuries and at least two dead. Authorities are still searching the Greater Boston Area for more explosive devices.
Our thoughts go out to those affected by these explosions. It’s far too early to have all the details, but what we can do is provide resources for anyone looking to give aid.
Note: We’ll be updating this post as more resources come in. As with any major news event, the full facts of the explosions will take some time to come to light. Here are the resources we’ve found to be most useful.
Where to Donate
- For those in the North East, consider donating money to the Red Cross. (Note: as Monday, the Red Cross said it has enough blood to meet demand in the immediate Boston area.)
- Stay up to date on the organization’s activities and how you can help by following the Red Cross on Twitter.
- Funraise.com currently has a portal up to donate to victims and their families through a range of trusted and verified charities.
Show Support
- The folks over at #RunChat have started a special iniative encouraging people to wear race shirts — or, of you don’t have one, the Boston Marathon colors of blue and yellow — to show support for Boston and the greater running community.
Help Investigators
- If you have video or photos of the area around Boylston Street and the Marathon finish line on race day, email them to investigators at boston@ic.fbi.gov.
Getting In Touch
- Google has created a special Person Finder that can provide updates on many runners, volunteers, and people who work in the area. (Note: data on the person finder is viewable and usable by anyone; Google does not review or verify the accuracy of the data.)
- The Red Cross runs a Safe and Well registry to connect bystanders, victims, and loved ones. Their site is experiencing some delays due to the high volume of traffic, so it might take a few tries to log in.
News and Updates
- ABC News has a live update portal with news from multiple outlets and trusted Twitter accounts.
- Breaking News also has a live feed and video reports from NBC.
Sharing Information
Fortunately, we’ve heard only good news so far from the extended Greatist family involved with the marathon. If you have any information on Greatist followers and readers in the area, please send us a Tweet to check in and let other members of the health and fitness community know you’re safe.
This story is still developing, so please share your own resources and information in the comments below.
