With hurricane Florence and Irma tearing through the south these last few days, some of us who have not received the brunt of the storm may want to help those struggling. I know personally I want to help people, but sometimes I am unsure how to actually give back. Below are five ways that you can help the people who are struggling during hurricane Florence and Irma, but you can also use this list for almost any natural disaster.
1. Give blood!!
I personally do not love the thought of donating blood, but just think of all of the lives that you can save! People who have been affected by natural disasters often require medical assistance, and blood donations help those people in need! Check out the Red Cross’s website for more information about where and when you can donate!
2. Volunteer your time!
Sometimes something as simple as volunteering your time to organize materials that need to be sent to disaster zones can make a huge difference! If organizations receive material donations, but nobody helps them to organize and send them, then the disaster zones will never receive the materials when they need them.
3. Send monetary donations
Money is one of the easiest ways to donate and it immediately can be used by the people and organizations who need it. It can be used to buy supplies, help with medical assistance, and help to rebuild homes and businesses. These donations can be made through GoFundMe pages, the Red Cross, and United Way; just to name a few!
4. Look to adopt animals from an animal shelter
Think about how many animals were abandoned during hurricane Florence and Irma, now you can help to adopt them! Animal shelters often become overcrowded in places where natural disasters occur because of animals that have been abandoned. These shelters are not meant to hold so many animals at once, so adopting them is a huge help. Check out the Humane Society’s website for more information!
5. Volunteer with SBP
With natural disasters, comes structural damage. Help out by volunteering with SBP and help them to rebuild homes damaged in a disaster. If you are unable to donate your time to this wonderful organization, you can also donate money to help with the building supplies. A home is such an important staple for every family, so help rebuild one of the things that means the most to people.
I hope you feel empowered to volunteer and donate to the people in our country who need help!
HCXO,
Lexie