Tomorrow’s 2nd Fridays street festival is among a number of local collection points for an ongoing, week-long Hurricane Harvey relief drive being coordinated by the City of Cullman.

The city has set up four drop-off locations to take in donated items that will go to the relief effort. While the 2nd Fridays station will be open from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Friday, the other three will continue to accept items through the drive’s end date on Sept. 12.

Items can be dropped off at Cullman City Hall between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., at the Cullman Civic Center between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and at the Cullman Wellness and Aquatic Center between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

What kind of items are needed? Drive organizers are putting out a specific call for a variety of hygiene, cleaning and utility supplies, including the following:

– Laundry detergent and bleach

– Diapers (all sizes)

– Plastic bins and containers

– Trash bins

– Industrial mops, brooms and dust pans

– Empty spray bottles

– Toothpaste

– Deodorant

– Shaving supplies

– Sleeping bags

– Toilet paper

– Paper towels

– Box cutters

Items at all location (except 2nd Fridays) will be collected from now until the end of the day Tuesday.

While the Cullman relief drive seeks only items and not money, the Internal Revenue Service is warning people nationwide who want to help out by donating money to be aware of possible fake charity scams, and to seek out recognized charitable groups for giving.

People should be mindful of criminals who look to take advantage of the country’s outpouring of generosity by impersonating charities to get money or private information from well-meaning taxpayers, IRS officials said. Such fraudulent schemes may involve contact by telephone, social media, e-mail or in-person solicitations, according to a IRS news release.

Criminals often send emails that steer recipients to bogus websites that appear to be affiliated with legitimate charitable causes. These sites frequently mimic the sites of, or use names similar to, legitimate charities, or claim to be affiliated with legitimate charities in order to persuade people to send money or provide personal financial information that can be used to steal identities or financial resources.

Those interested in donating to an organization can go online to IRS.gov to check the status of charitable organizations.

Here are some tips to avoid scams:

– Be sure to donate to recognized charities.

– Be wary of charities with names that are similar to familiar or nationally known organizations. Some phony charities use names or websites that sound or look like those of respected, legitimate organizations. The IRS website at IRS.gov has a search feature, Exempt Organizations Select Check, through which people may find qualified charities; donations to these charities may be tax-deductible.

– Don’t give out personal financial information — such as Social Security numbers or credit card and bank account numbers and passwords — to anyone who solicits a contribution. Scam artists may use this information to steal a donor’s identity and money.

– Never give or send cash. For security and tax record purposes, contribute by check or credit card or another way that provides documentation of the donation.

– Consult IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions, available on IRS.gov. This free booklet describes the tax rules that apply to making legitimate tax-deductible donations. Among other things, it also provides complete details on what records to keep.

Taxpayers suspecting fraud by email should go online to IRS.gov and search for the keywords “Report Phishing.”

More information about tax scams and schemes may be found at IRS.gov using the keywords “scams and schemes” along with details on available relief at the IRS’ disaster relief page.