Thousands of people are dealing with the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene and American Red Cross disaster workers are with them, providing comfort, support and relief.

More than 4 million customers – as many as 12 million people – are without power across impacted states. The danger isn’t over and people in affected areas are urged to heed the utmost caution before venturing outside. Helene is now a tropical storm threatening parts of the Southeast with dangerous flooding, damaging winds and tornadoes.

Thousands of people affected by Hurricane Helene need help now. Your donation enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to make a financial donation or to schedule a blood donation appointment. Individuals can also text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation.

RED CROSS RESPONSE In just the past 48 hours, the Red Cross has opened or supported more than 140 shelters for nearly 9,400 individuals who have evacuated their homes. Red Cross teams managed 50 of these shelters overnight and supported more than 80 partner shelters with staff and supplies

The Cascades Region in Oregon and SW Washington has sent 10 volunteers already with more lining up to go. Just like volunteers from across the country who came to Oregon to support our wildfire evacuations this summer, our volunteers will be there as long as we are needed.

As deadly flooding continues and threatens additional communities, even more people will urgently need our support. Red Crossers are working closely with community partners and state and local officials to ensure help is available where needed.

Nearly 500 disaster workers are on the ground helping with hundreds more on their way. The Red Cross has also deployed numerous emergency response vehicles to help where needed. When it is safe to do so, Red Cross disaster responders will travel throughout affected communities, assessing the damage and distributing meals and relief supplies. 

CANCELED BLOOD DRIVES Helene has canceled blood drives throughout Georgia and the Carolinas causing more than 1,000 blood donations to go uncollected, and this number is growing.

As communities feel the effects of Helene, patients are fighting their own battle. Some of these patients urgently need closely matched blood donations to weather their health crises. If you're in a safe area, you have the power to be a lifeline.

Please schedule a blood donation appointment now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, using the Blood Donor App or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to help restock the shelves.

CLIMATE CRISIS Helene could be the start of a series of back-to-back storms that threaten the U.S. as additional systems form in the Atlantic. Experts report Hurricane Helene was able to grow and become more destructive because of hotter-than-average ocean temperatures caused by the climate crisis, which is bringing more frequent and intense disasters that upend lives. In response, the Red Cross is providing food, shelter and recovery support on a nearly continual basis.

Find safety steps for different emergencies - including hurricanes and power outages - here.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.