Hurricane Helene: American Red Cross urges storm recovery donations in Georgia, other states

ATLANTA — Calling it the largest storm to ever hit Florida’s Big Bend region, the American Red Cross is urging Americans to rush donations to their organization as recovery efforts in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia are underway.

The storm’s path carried it north through south Georgia in the area around Valdosta before going further to the Atlanta metro area and into Tennessee and the Carolinas.

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According to the Red Cross, they’ve already opened shelters for thousands of Americans in need due to impacts of the storm, which first made landfall as a Category 4 Hurricane on Friday morning.

“We urgently need your help to support the families and communities impacted by this devastating storm,” Red Cross said in their donation plea.

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• Another tropical system could move into the Gulf of Mexico this week
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• USPS temporarily suspends some GA mail delivery, retail operations due to Hurricane Helene’s impacts

The nonprofit outlined what different dollar amounts may help provide in the following list:

• $50 provides a full day of food and shelter for one person at a Red Cross emergency shelter, including three meals, blankets and bedding
• $150 provides a crib for an infant
• $360 deploys and emergency response vehicle for a day to help deliver meals, snacks and other relief supplies

“The coming days will be the most difficult of many families’ lives. Even when this disaster subsides and it’s safe to return home, many will have no home to return to, and their communities may be forever changed,” the Red Cross said, adding that rushing a donation now will “help us reach families devastated by Hurricane Helene with critical relief like warm meals, clean water and shelter in the challenging days ahead.”

In the days following Helene’s path through the southeast United States, the toll of lives lost and damage dealt has grown, with 64 now confirmed dead across several states and damages measured as much as $15 billion to $26 billion in property damage according to Moody’s Analytics.

Channel 2 Action News will activate its Convoy of Care next week to help assist with recovery expenses.

Click here to rush a donation to the Red Cross.

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