Since Hurricane Florence made landfall on Friday, at least 14,000 people have sought refuge in more than 110 shelters across North Carolina. Governor Roy Cooper urged evacuees to stay in shelters and delay returning to their homes.
“Emergency and utility workers need to have access and have priority,” Cooper said.
Those wanting to donate time, money, or supplies to help relief efforts can do so through a number of local and national organizations.
Volunteering
1- North Carolina’s State Government is accepting applications for volunteers to help with debris removal, search and rescue missions, mental health services, and providing help in shelters, among other tasks.
2- The City of Raleigh is also asking for volunteers to help clean up city parks after the hurricane passes. Once city officials deem areas safe, volunteers will receive emails about clean-up projects.
Food and Supplies
3- The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina has partnered with local food banks and shelters in affected areas to receive direct help. It has asked for specific food items and supplies, including peanut butter, paper towels, and canned beans and soup. If donating cans, however, the food bank urges people to donate cans with “pop top” lids, or lids that don’t require a can opener.
4- The Diaper Bank of North Carolina is accepting donations of baby diapers, tampons, pads, and other supplies at their Durham location. If people aren’t able to access their physical location, the organization has an Amazon Wish List which people can donate supplies through.
Monetary Donations
5- Money is one of the easiest and most useful donations during a natural disaster. The Better Business Bureau of Eastern North Carolina warns against people donating money to any offer online. They urge people to donate directly through the charity’s website rather than through links on messages or emails, which could be spam.
6- The State Government of North Carolina is accepting monetary donations through Governor Cooper’s website. Amazon has also released a feature on the Amazon Echo in which users can ask Alexa to “donate to Hurricane Florence Disaster Relief.” Money donated through Alexa will go to the American Red Cross.