This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Jordyn Centerwall. Find her on Instagram at @jordyncenterwall. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
On Wednesday evening Hurricane Milton made landfall on the western coast of Florida and worked its way across the state leaving a path of destruction. Residents who chose not to evacuate faced severe winds, tornadoes, and later flooding. Milton comes just two weeks after Hurricane Helene, and, according to the New York Times, is the 13th named storm this year. It may not be the last either. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have much concept of what it’s like to experience a hurricane. They inspire a feeling of helpless I imagine for those living through the devastation, but also for those across the country who want to help, but aren’t sure how. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve been glued to my news app trying to find how to support hurricane survivors. Here are five ways I’ve found.
Comparisons to Past Hurricanes
When something scares me, the first thing I try to do is understand it. I find it builds empathy and understanding. For a hurricane or any kind of natural disaster that might look like gathering the facts. How big is it? How strong are the wind forces? Etc. It’s easy to shut down and want to avoid the details, but that doesn’t help combat the helplessness.
Hurricane Milton was classified a dangerous Category 3 hurricane when it touched down, whereas Hurricane Helene was a Category 4. Hurricanes are classified based on wind speed using a scale that ranges from Category 1 to Category 5. Since it was classified a Category 3, Milton’s winds were within the range of 111-129 mph and Helene’s were 140 mph when it made landfall. To put that into perspective, that’s about the top speed of an average car is about 120 mph.
Many people remember the devastation of past hurricanes. Hurricane Katrina comes to mind from my childhood. Hurricane Katrina was also a Category 3 when it made landfall in Louisiana in 2005. The reason we remember Katrina’s destruction though was the loss of life from its storm surge. The storm surge was the greatest in US history, causing the flood walls to fail which resulted in intense flooding.
Government Support
It’s easy to see all the headlines or videos of people on social media living through this natural disaster and wonder, who is helping these people? There are government disaster programs in place on a state and national level to provide aide in the event of a disaster.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the main national organization for this. They are in charge of providing food, shelter, water, as well as deploying the National Guard and (in severe cases) military personnel to provide additional support. FEMA has already provided $344 million in support to Hurricane Helene survivors. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also provides disaster assistance. In the past, they have helped with the redevelopment of damaged public housing.
State governments can also declare a state of emergency or a state of disaster. A state of emergency allows state governments to access resources set aside for emergency situations. A state of disaster is a state government’s petition to the federal government, which ,when signed by the President, allows for additional FEMA, individual, and public assistance. The declaration of a state of disaster can also lead to IRS tax relief for individuals affected by the disaster or loans or grants for business owners.
Support doesn’t just have to come from the government though, here are some ways you can get involved in helping recent hurricane victims.
Support National Organizations
The easiest way to support hurricane victims wherever you are is to donate. There are countless organizations locally in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, the southern Appalachians, and other states affected. There are also national organizations that distribute funds to all of these areas. Monetary donations are the most direct way to support, as the funds can be distributed locally where they are most needed and shipping times and costs can be reduced. Here are some national organizations that you can support.
- Donate or Volunteer with the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross collects monetary donations that help provide emergency supplies, medical care, and establish shelters as well as other support. You can apply to be a Red Cross Volunteer here, or give blood at your local Red Cross.
The Salvation Army uses funds to mobilize volunteers, provide food service, and give emotional and spiritual care to individuals affected by the recent hurricanes.
- Donate or volunteer with FEMA through members of the National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)
VOAD is currently made up of 79 organizations. Many of these organizations have worked to support Hurricane Helene victims and are preparing to do so for Hurricane Milton as well. They offer diverse ways to get involved from sponsoring hygiene kits to volunteering to monetary donations.
Supporting Hurricane Helene Survivors
Local organizations that are actively supporting the regions affected by Hurricane Helene include:
- Manna FoodBank: This organization provides food, diapers, hygiene products and water to residents of Asheville North Carolina.
- North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund: The money donated to this fund goes to United Way North Carolina that issues reimbursements to local nonprofits assisting disaster survivors.
- Appalachian Regional Healthcare: ARH supports Hurricane Helene victims in remote communities in Tennessee and North Carolina by collecting monetary and physical donations.
Supporting Hurricane Milton Survivors
If you want to directly support Hurricane Milton victims, here are just a few organizations you can support.
- Florida Disaster Fund: This fund collects donations on the behalf of the Hope Florida initiative to help Florida residents rebound after natural disasters.
- Volunteer Florida: You can find opportunities to get involved with disaster-related volunteering here.
Engage with People in Need on Social Media
A quick search on TikTok or other social media platforms generates thousands of videos of people either spreading the word about opportunities of how to support hurricane survivors or survivors themselves seeking support. Many creators with larger platforms use their following to raise money through the TikTok creator fund. Engaging with these videos can help provide aide.
Creators also often link GoFundMe’s in their bios for their followers to support. This is a good way to help individuals instead of donating broadly to a national or local organization. However, many often worry about scams and the money not actually reaching the communities they want to support. GoFundMe currently has a compilation of verified fundraisers based on state as well as individual fundraisers you can donate to.
Don’t Shut Down
It can be easy to get overwhelmed while reading countless articles or social media posts about the devastation. Try to take breaks from consuming too much content so that you don’t shut down. Shutting down is our body’s way of protecting itself, but it also could stop us from helping the people who are in need of support. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed during this time. Let yourself feel it, and encourage others to get involved as well.
Are there any other ways you’ve heard of how to support hurricane survivors? Spread the word and share what you’ve heard down below!
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