Red Cross volunteers from Minnesota, Dakotas, head to Florida to aid with Hurricane Ian relief

MINNEAPOLIS -- As Hurricane Ian quickly approaches Florida, Red Cross volunteers from Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota are traveling to the region to be ready to assist when the storm hits.

The Minnesota Red Cross posted photos online of trucks from Duluth and Fargo, which will travel to Florida and distribute food and other relief items to those impacted by the hurricane.

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Roughly 50 disaster response volunteers will head to the state, the Minnesota Red Cross says. 

Hurricane Ian is expected to hit Florida on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm. Mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders are in place for some of the state's southwestern counties. 

One of the volunteers in route is Patty Lindholm from Fergus Falls. She and another volunteer plan to arrive on Friday and stay two weeks. They will first stop in Orlando to organize and stock their vehicle with meals. 

Then, they will head into hard hit neighborhoods and provide hundreds of meals a day to those who need it.

"When we are finished after our two weeks, others will come take our place and we will leave this vehicle down there," Lindholm said.

While it's not her first disaster trip with the Red Cross, it will be her first time responding after a hurricane.

"I'm actually looking forward to it. Just being able to see how people are doing, speak to them, listen to them, that's what I'm looking forward to," she said.

Lindholm is a retired physician and said she has found her purpose through volunteering.

"We all need help sometimes and it feels good to give back when you have the chance to do it," she said.