Hurricane Helene pulverized a lot of areas in the south eastern portion of the United States, leaving untold numbers of individuals without homes and causing the deaths of 120 people. We won’t know the full extent of the damage for quite some time, but we do know that billions of dollars of damage has been left in the Category 4 storm’s wake.
As Christians, we’re commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ to be His hands and feet in the world, continuing His work of mercy and helping those who are in need. Many folks, however, are wondering how they might participate in this work and help those who have been impacted by Hurricane Helene. According to the Associated Press, there are a number of different ways you can make a difference.
— Cash is king. Many groups providing aid will only accept cash donations because the needs are not fully known and it does not require additional resources to get the donations to those in need. Food and clothing drives may be helpful later in the process in specific communities, but it can divert manpower to connect the right people with the right items.
— Give to charities already working in the area. Because damage from Helene is spread out over six states in an area that reaches from Florida’s Big Bend to the Appalachians in Virginia, experts say to look for groups with a history of aid in the specific city or state you want to help so that your donation reaches your intended area more quickly. If you want suggestions, Charity Navigator and GoFundMe have curated lists of organizations and people in the affected areas.
— Look for matching donations. Nonprofits recognize that individuals may not be able to give as much as they would like due to the current economy and the number of current global crises. Experts suggest giving through places that will provide a matching donation. For example, Walmart announced Monday that its foundation will not only donate $6 million to support Hurricane Helene relief efforts, but it will match all customer donations made to the American Red Cross at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores, as well as Walmart.com, until Oct. 13, up to $2.5 million.
Something you might not have considered before is waiting and not getting involved just yet. That might sound strange, but the rebuilding efforts necessary to help people recover from this storm will be going on for extended periods of time. We’re talking months, maybe years. Experts also say that donations for these kind of events always start out fairly strong, bu then experience a tapering off as the story fades from the top of everyone’s mind. However, that’s when the need for such donations might be at their highest.
It’s around that time that government benefits dry up along with donations from private individuals and charities. You could be providing a lot of help for those in need by waiting a bit and providing aide for later phases of rebuilding.