Nebraska and Iowa Volunteers answer call to help

It’s been a week since Hurricane Helene made landfall, and the American Red Cross is working 24/7 with dozens of partners to get help to people as quickly as possible. More than two dozen Nebraska and Iowa volunteers have deployed to support the massive Red Cross response to Huricane Helene. These committed volunteers make up some 1,400 Red Crossers from across the U.S. Our Nebraska and Iowa volunteers are fulfilling a number of roles on the ground. They are working tirelessly to provide safe shelter, food, water and support to families struggling with unimaginable wreckage. Volunteers are reaching more people every day.

George McCrory, an Eastern Iowa chapter volunteer, conducts disaster assessment with local law enforcement in Florida.

In the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida, Red Cross disaster workers are managing shelters where residents can get hot meals and emotional support. In the Carolinas, we’re also working with multi-agency taskforces to coordinate feeding efforts and ensure communities get the help they need. And in Florida, we’re helping to assess residential damage. Where it is safe to do so, emergency response vehicles — deployed from all over the country — are on the roads in some areas providing meals, water and supplies as families begin to clean-up their homes. Affected communities are facing different struggles, and the timeline for recovery and what support they need will be different. With the help of partners, we’ve already provided tens of thousands of overnight shelter stays, meals and snacks.

Helene’s destruction covers a huge area and it’s taking time to navigate damaged roads and reach communities that are cut off. With hundreds still reported as missing, Red Cross reunification staff are working nonstop to reconnect loved ones. We've received some 7,000 requests for help — a number that continues to grow. We’re doing all we can to reach those who need help. A disaster this large requires a team effort and the Red Cross is working with local officials, government agencies and other nonprofits to get help to people as quickly as possible. If you're searching for a loved one affected by the storm, please complete the form at redcross.org/helene for the state where they live.

Bill Bennet and Kevin Uhde drove an Eastern Iowa emergency response vehicle to Georgia. ERVs are being used to distrbute meals and supplies to affected neighborhoods.

If you want to make a difference in the lives of others, consider putting on a red vest and joining us. Hurricane season is far from over and the Southwest and California are forecasted to have an above-normal wildfire risk this fall. We also need volunteers willing to support their local communities, should a home fire occur. If you would like to volunteer with the Red Cross, visit redcross.org/volunteer to learn more about volunteer opportunities. Just like the people served by the Red Cross, we’re proud our volunteers represent a wide array of cultures, backgrounds, ages, gender identities, lifestyles and beliefs. Everyone is welcome.