Growing up in southern Alabama and the Florida panhandle, I am no stranger to hurricanes. These weather events have been sprinkled across my story over the years, always just a “fact of life” as a southern girl. With that said, there have been a few that have stood out over the years – such as Hurricane Michael in 2018. However, it seems like Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in the Big Bend of Florida on September 26, 2024 and rapidly tore through Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, is going to be one for the history books.
As the images of the utter destruction from the coastal communities of Florida to the Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina have emerged from the wreckage, my heart has been hurting so acutely. I know these people and places affected by this ferocious storm!
My aunt found her living room chair out on the beach in St. Petersburg, Florida. Just one example of the way the Gulf of Mexico washed over the barrier islands from Tampa to the Big Bend in record-setting storm surge. Thousands of Floridians along that coastline are having to throw out most of their belongings due to water damage.
My university alma mater and friends in Greenville, South Carolina are sawing their way through the fallen trees that have smashed cars and buildings. Residents across the southeast will be without power for days.
But worst of all… Folks in the Appalachian region have witnessed historic flooding that washed away roads, homes, and small businesses – Lawson Design in Canton, N.C. being just one example of too many to name.
*EDIT ON OCT 3: What we have learned this week is that the flash flooding across Appalachia (western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee) has utterly destroyed the region. ENTIRE TOWNS were washed away as the rivers and creeks raged with such ferocity never seen before… and NO ONE was prepared for this possibility. Hurricane Helene brought “the 1000-year flood” and dropped an estimated 40-trillion gallons of water over the region. Truly apocalyptic. The loss of life from this storm is insanely tragic, and as dozens of communities have been cut off with roads blocked and bridges down, the chance of survival dwindles with each day.
The devastation feels insurmountable. But I am here today to share a few ways you and I can help from afar.
Ways to Help After Hurricane Helene
The American Red Cross
Providing first response aid, the American Red Cross accepts donations and volunteers. Visit their Home Page here and read today’s update “Red Cross Mobilizes Massive Relief Effort in Wake of Helene’s 500-Mile Path of Destruction” here to learn more.
World Central Kitchen
WCK is a global organization with teams currently serving meals and assessing food needs for communities in the southeastern US after Hurricane Helene. They are working hard to reach isolated communities with limited access to food resources, as they shared on their website’s post: WCK in US and Mexico supporting communities impacted by hurricanes. Click here to donate to World Central Kitchen.
Operation Airdrop
Extensive damage to roadways and bridges are leaving thousands of people stranded in the mountainous southern states. Operation Airdrop provides aerial supply services, and they have begun the vital mission of Operation Helene.
Samaritan’s Purse
Samaritan’s Purse is on the ground in multiple locations across the southeast. They are updating their progress on their website: Samaritan’s Purse Starts Five-Site Response to Hurricane Helene.
Local, State, and Federal Government Agencies
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA, recommends donating cash to emergency services (until specific items are requested and ready to be received). Due to the trappings of bureaucracy, governmental agencies are not the fastest at responding, but they are one avenue for support in certain areas.
*If you have been impacted by Hurricane Helene, you can fill out a form to request financial aid from FEMA. Visit https://www.usa.gov/disaster-financial-help to apply.
As shared in an online press release from the Florida Governor’s office today, The Florida Disaster Fund is my state’s official private fundraiser for disaster relief, which supports both public and private organizations for both emergency response and rebuilding. Likewise, The North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund (in partnership with United Way of North Carolina) is providing financial assistance to meet immediate needs of storm victims.
Help Rebuild – in time
Emergency relief is crucial, but organizations that provide long-term recovery efforts are just as important. Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity work to re-home Americans who lost housing due to natural disasters. If you have the ability, consider joining a building crew in the coming years. Yes, years.
[In February 2008, I had the honor of serving as a volunteer to build a home in Mississippi after the catastrophe that was Hurricane Katrina (Aug 29, 2005). Truly, these types of organizations are vital!]
More Ways than One
If you’d like to know about other aid organizations, I also really like this online article from The Weather Channel: A Short List Of Where To Donate. Check it out!
Also, reach out to friends of friends you know who may be affected. Since so many areas are still without power, the needs will only continue to flood in. Harness the power of social media for good!
*EDIT ON OCT 3: While I do believe larger organizations like the Red Cross do provide help, it has become devastatingly clear that they could not mobilized quickly enough. It has been civilians who are using their own aircraft and spending their own money to refuel multiple times a day to reach stranded people during the search and recovery phase of the first week since the storm (specifically in Appalachia). It has been churches and local restaurants who have opened their doors, spent their remaining resources, and called upon volunteers to help.
Aerial Recovery was stationed in Florida and prepared to support those communities. However, they have moved their operations to western North Carolina as they have been desperate for help and helicopters. You can donate here to support this life-saving non-profit.
As I am “a Southern Girl with a Spanish Heart and a Swiss Soul,” I am feeling the tragedy of this enormous event that struck so many places I love. At the same time, I recognize that, around the globe, there are many people and places hurting. So, allow me to remind you that we are citizens of the world and encourage you to find ways to promote peace and bring healing.
Tenderly,
Hailey
*I am using the satellite photo from Discover Magazine’s article, Stunning Satellite Images Reveal the Power and Immensity of Hurricane Helene, as this post’s featured image.
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