It may be the worst natural disaster to befall the United States in well over a century. The effects of Hurricane Katrina will reverberate throughout the country for months to come, as those in the path struggle to rebuild their lives and cities and the rest of us deal with losing access to one of our top five import/export cities for several months.

The most needed supply right now is simply money. And to that end, celebrities are pitching in to lend a helping hand in all capacities.

Tonight, Friday, September 2, the NBC television networks will be broadcasting an hour-long telethon hosted by Today Show anchor Matt Lauer. Featuring performances by Harry Connick, Jr, Wynton Marsalis and Tim McGraw, all Louisiana natives, the show will air live on NBC, CNBC and MSNBC on the East Coast, and tape-delayed on the West Coast. For more information on the show, please read this article.

U.S. Spanish-language television network Telemundo will hold their own telethon tonight, as well. The network's Maria Antonieta Collins and veteran news anchor Pedro Sevcec will host "Unidos por las Víctimas de Katrina" (United for the Victims of Katrina); Telemundo's one hour fund-raising special that will air at 9PM (ET/PT) in the U.S. through Telemundo and mun2, and at 10PM in Puerto Rico. Scheduled to appear are Telemundo personalities Gabriela Spanic and Andrés Cantor, both American Red Cross ambassadors, Jose Díaz-Balart, Mónica Noguera, Ilia Calderón, Esteban Arce, Luisa Fernanda Lozano, Mauricio Zeilic, Natalia Streignard, Jose Angel Llamas and Mara Croato, as well as the cast of the novela "El Cuerpo del Deseo".

Viacom's music channels, which include MTV, VH1 and CMT, will be airing a live multi-artist, multi-genre concert on Saturday, September 10, with hopes of encouraging not only donations, but volunteerism from its viewers. Artists already committed to the benefit are Ludacris, Green Day, Gretchen Wilson, Usher, Alicia Keys, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews Band, Rob Thomas, David Banner and Linkin Park's Chester Bennington.

BET is partnering with the National Urban League for a benefit telethon, the night before, on September 9. Russell Simmons, Chris Rock, Wynton Marsalis and rappers Master P, Juvenile and David Banner are among those scheduled to appear on the show, and all proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

The Grand Ole Opry is partnering with the Great American Country (GAC) network for a live benefit to air Tuesday, September 27. Among the growing list of artists scheduled to appear are Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss, Craig Morgan and Billy Currington. For more information on the show, please read this article.

All six major networks, which include CBS, NBC, ABC, WB, Fox and UPN, are also in talks to hold a joint telethon, similar to the one they organized following the 9/11 tragedy four years ago. Comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, a native of Louisiana, has expressed an interest in hosting the event, but other than the general idea, no other details, such as air date, or participants, have been released by the networks.

DeGeneres is also organizing her own fundraising effort, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund," on her talk show, beginning on Monday.

Tonight Show host Jay Leno is once again partnering with Harley Davidson to help raise money. As with previous endeavors, such as last year's Asian tsunami disaster, Leno will have guests on his show autograph a donated Harley Davidson motorcycle, as well as inviting special walk-on celebrity signings. The motorcycle will then be auctioned off on Ebay.com, with proceeds to benefit the Red Cross International Disaster Relief Efforts to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman, who resides in Mississippi, one of the states affected by Katrina, has partnered with the American Red Cross organization and Charity Folks for one of the biggest relief auctions in history, set to kick off on Friday on www.charityfolks.com. Among the numerous items up for bid include a chance to attend Freeman's upcoming movie premiere for 'An Unfinished Life,' in which he co-stars with Robert Redford and Jennifer Lopez.

Legendary comedian Jerry Lewis has announced that his annual Labor Day Telethon benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association will also feature celebrity fund-raising appeals for the Katrina relief efforts. He has also announced the MDA will donate a whopping $1 million of its funds to help the victims across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Celebrities are not only donating their time, but they're opening their wallets, as well.

Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion is donating $1,000,000 to the American Red Cross, and Ms. Dion and her partners, Concerts West/AEG Live and DRAGONE, will donate proceeds from their Las Vegas show "A New Day..." to help the people in need as a result of the tragedy. Actor Nicolas Cage also has donated $1,000,000.

Dion's Vegas neighbor, singer Barry Manilow, is pitching in with his organization Manilow Fund For Health And Hope. For every dollar you donate, the fund will match a dollar -- plus, Barry himself will match it as well, turning your one dollar donated into three for the relief efforts. Donations can be made online at www.manilowfund.com.

In addition to appearing at the MTV benefit, Dave Matthews will be adding an extra stop on his current tour at Denver's Red Rocks. Proceeds from the September 12 show will go to the hurricane relief efforts.

Singer/actress Hilary Duff announced she will donate $200,000 to the American Red Cross and $50,000 to USA Harvest to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the gulf coast states stricken by this disaster. "It's heartbreaking to see the devastation on TV. People are missing family members, and they have absolutely nothing left, not even food or water. I want to do everything I can to help those who have survived to help rebuild their lives," says Duff.

If you'd like to donate on your own, please visit the American Red Cross website at www.redcross.org. For more ways to help, as well as get help, if you're one of the many affected by Hurricane Katrina, visit Network For Good at www.networkforgood.org/topics/animal_environ/hurricanes/.