2024 Hurricanes Helene and Milton: Our Philanthropic Guide to Disaster Relief

October 15, 2024
3 Min read

The southeast region of the United States has been hit hard by back-to-back hurricanes with devastation from the Gulf Coast of Florida to the mountains of western North Carolina. Our team is continuing to monitor disaster relief efforts.  

If you are interested in helping the relief efforts, here are some recommended organizations we have vetted below: 

  • The American Red Cross is working nonstop alongside partners to support 83,000 people who took refuge in Florida evacuation shelters as Hurricane Milton broke landfall. They are simultaneously working in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Tennessee to provide shelter, food, water, and relief supplies to those still recovering from Hurricane Helene. 
  • North Carolina Community Foundation is encouraging donations to groups that are working to address immediate needs in western North Carolina and to their Disaster Relief Fund to support the long-term recovery of the region after Hurricane Helene. 
  • Samaritan’s Purse is a faith-based organization responding to six locations after Hurricane Helene left a 500-mile trail of devastation. They are also assessing damage in Florida as they prepare to respond to destruction caused by Hurricane Milton. 
  • Texans on Mission is a faith-based organization that has deployed their Disaster Relief Volunteer Team to Tennessee and North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. They have also sent a mobile mass feeding kitchen, flood recovery unity, and a generator to Florida to assist with Hurricane Milton relief efforts. 
  • Volunteer Florida Foundation has created the Florida Disaster Fund to assist Florida’s communities as they respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters. The fund is currently being used to assist in relief efforts for both Hurricanes Helene and Milton. 
  • World Central Kitchen (WCK) teams are in four states serving meals and assessing food needs for communities in the southeastern US after Hurricane Helene. They were able to deliver 100,000 gallons of fresh drinking water to Asheville, NC. Ahead of Hurricane Milton, WCK, prepositioned themselves in Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale, FL and plan to reactivate their field kitchen as soon as it is safe to do so. 

Our team is always available to help make meaningful donations. Whether you are an experienced donor with a clear mission or are at the beginning of your philanthropic journey, we are here to be your partner in impact. We want to help you build a giving strategy grounded in data discernment, and empathy, empowering you to make a difference when and where it’s needed most. Our client-first approach, created strategically within your overarching financial plan, is highly personalized and customized to your aspirations.  

If you decide to donate online or to another disaster relief solicitation, here are our top tips in making donations: 

  • When donating to an organization directly, give to one you know or use one of the listed organizations above. 
  • Use caution when using social media or GoFundMe sites due to scams exploiting a current crisis. 
  • When making your donation, we recommend specifying the donation is to assist the people affected by Hurricane Helene and/or Milton. 

Want to enhance your philanthropic strategy? Let us know. Our team is here to help!