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Hurricane Helene – Information & Ways to Help

Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region September 26, 2024, as a massive Category 4 hurricane, was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Big Bend on record. The storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding from Hurricane Helene have been catastrophic, flooding neighborhoods, stranding residents and destroying homes in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Individuals, regardless of where they reside, can help those affected by Hurricane Helene. After a disaster, financial donations are the quickest and best way to get help to the people who need it most. Cash donations allow organizations to take advantage of wholesale purchase pricing and be flexible to adjust purchases to meet changing needs. Unsolicited donations of goods often do not align with the needs on-the-ground.  Listed below are resources to connect with in order to make a financial donation, donate blood, or volunteer.

Make A Donation

• American Red Cross: The American Red Cross depends on financial donations to be able to provide disaster relief immediately. Help people affected by Hurricane Helene by visiting American Red Cross | Help Those Affected by Disasters, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. Connecticut Region | American Red Cross for more information.
• Salvation Army: To make a donation to support the Salvation Army efforts, go to Ways to Give | The Salvation Army USA or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
• Americares: Provides emergency medicine, supplies, and other aid to disaster victims. Go to Americares | Disaster Relief & Global Health Organization | Americares for more information and to donate.
• World Central Kitchen: WCK responds to natural disasters, man-made crises, and humanitarian emergencies around the world. The team of food first responders, mobilizing with the urgency to get meals to the people who need them most, World Central Kitchen (wck.org)
• Samaritans Purse: Mobilizes staff and equipment and enlists volunteers to provide emergency aid to victims of natural disasters in the United States.  Samaritan’s Purse International Disaster Relief — International Relief (samaritanspurse.org)

Donate Blood

• Regularly scheduled blood drives are often cancelled during large-scale natural disasters. To help compensate for cancelled blood drives, individual donations of blood are critical at this time. Visit Donate Blood, Platelets or Plasma. Give Life | Red Cross Blood to find a local blood drive.

Volunteer

• If you wish to volunteer in response to Hurricane Helene, please visit Homepage | VOAD (nvoad.org) to find National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) members taking volunteers. Many of the organizations prefer or require affiliated volunteers, rather than unaffiliated volunteers. Visit Volunteer | VOAD (nvoad.org) to register as a volunteer.

AVOIDING SCAMS

To help individuals avoid scams and frauds after disasters, please note the following advice from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (CT DCP):

• Do your research: Before donating, use online resources like the Better Business Bureau, Wise Giving Alliance, Guidestar, Charity Navigator, and Charity Watch, which all provide information about non-profit organizations and charities.
• Be cautious of “look alike” websites:  Websites will sometimes try and impersonate legitimate charities. Verify the URL in your browser before giving any money online. These fraudulent websites will often ask for personal financial information and may download harmful malware onto your computer. Don’t assume that charity recommendations on Facebook or other social media sites are legitimate.
• Ask questions: Ask how your donation will be used. and ask the solicitor to be specific. If the answer is vague be wary.
• Know who you are talking to: If you receive an email or text message asking for a donation, confirm that the request is from the charity, and not an imposter, by contacting the charity or visiting its website. A legitimate charity will always give you time to verify its identity and do your research.
• Don’t be pressured: Do not donate if the solicitor uses high-pressure tactics, asks for payment in cash, or insists on sending someone to pick up your donation.
• Avoid paying in an untraceable form of payment: Donate by check or credit card, not by wire transfer or cash.
• Never give out personal information: Never give out information such as your social security number or bank account numbers over the phone or internet, or to an untrusted source.

For more information or to file a complaint, contact the Department of Consumer Protection by emailing, dcp.complaints@ct.gov or visit, www.ct.gov/DCP/complaints.  In addition, visit the Better Business Bureau website to report a scam or look up a scam at, http://bbb.org/scamtracker

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SOURCES: American Red Cross; Salvation Army; Americares; Salvation Army; Samaritan’s Purse
PREPARED BY: 211/sk
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: October2024