How to help Hurricane Helene survivors
Hurricane Helene has killed more than 220 people and caused widespread devastation throughout the Southeast. The storm destroyed communities in several states after making landfall in Florida on Sept. 26, and brought catastrophic flooding to many areas, leaving some people with nothing.
President Biden has issued major disaster declarations for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, and people from those states can apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency at DisasterAssistance.gov. Food, water and other supplies are being flown to some areas left unreachable by the storm, and humanitarian groups have also entered the disaster zone to help.
The American Red Cross said it has been operating or supporting dozens of shelters in the region. The organization has also offered to help people reconnect with loved ones who were unaccounted for after the storm.
Samaritan's Purse, the charity run by evangelist Franklin Graham, said it's been helping communities in the mountains of western North Carolina, home to the organization's international headquarters, as well as the surrounding area, including part of eastern Tennessee. The organization has also set up bases in other states.
World Central Kitchen, the charity founded by chef José Andrés, said it's served tens of thousands of free meals in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. The organization said it was setting up high-capacity kitchens in the hard-hit city of Asheville, North Carolina, and the Gulf Coast city of Clearwater, Florida.
Individual states have launched disaster funds in response to the storm.
The Florida Disaster Fund said it distributes donations to service organizations that help people with disaster response and recovery.
The North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund said it provides reimbursements to nonprofits working with disaster survivors.
In South Carolina, the One SC Fund directs donations to local nonprofits that provide disaster relief and recovery, according to a spokesperson for Gov. Henry McMaster. The state's Emergency Management Division also has information for people interested in volunteering, donating clothes or giving to food banks.
Virginia's Department of Emergency Management is collecting donations for the state's disaster relief fund. The agency said the fund provides organizations with grants to help residents recover from disasters and emergencies.
Georgia's Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency was collecting information from people who want to volunteer to help recovery efforts in the state. The agency also has an application for organizations that want to provide in-kind donations.