How you can help those affected by Hurricane Helene

To our valued donor partners, 

We are still in the early days of knowing the true cost of damage from Hurricane Helene and will most likely not know for quite some time. What we do know is the immense emotional toll Helene has taken on countless individuals, some of whom we are personally connected to, and for that, we want to be of service.

I moved to Atlanta with my family eight months ago from Chicago and would consider myself in the early days of understanding all that Southern culture has to offer. I will tell you what I have felt in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene is an “all in it together” groundswell of support that is bringing out the best in Southern culture. From neighbors and friends to businesses and nonprofit organizations to sharing stories on social media, everyone wants to help because no one can imagine going through it alone. We need each other. We need community.

Many of you – 43 to be exact – have already generously provided more than $425,000 in funding for recovery efforts or reached out to see how you can help your Southern neighbors begin to rebuild. We are so grateful to you and are providing a list of recommended organizations that are working on the most critical needs of those most impacted by the hurricane.

We encourage you to utilize the Fund Advisor portal for your grant-making to ensure dollars are sent quickly and safely. We are currently prioritizing all grants toward relief efforts. Please contact help@cfgreateratlanta.org, your Philanthropic Officer or any member of the Philanthropy team if you need assistance supporting an organization listed below or have questions about other organizations you have learned about. 

• All Hands and Hearts: They have a track record of delivering aid in times of crisis and their team is working to deploy quickly to areas that require immediate assistance. They are coordinating with local emergency management agencies to ensure efforts align with community need.
• American Red Cross: Nearly 500 disaster workers are on the ground helping with hundreds more on their way. They have also deployed numerous emergency response vehicles, and responders will travel throughout affected communities, assessing the damage and distributing meals and relief supplies.
• Community Foundation of Western North Carolina: They have created a special disaster relief fund and will distribute funds they receive accordingly. (NOTE: Most, if not all, community foundations and United Way locations have launched emergency response funds)
• Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina – they are providing food, water, shelter, and emergency supplies to residents of all the impacted areas in North and South Carolina.
• Mercury One: They are working to secure helicopters and deliver baby supplies, personal hygiene products, diapers, paper towels, and non-perishable food to North Carolina.
• Samaritan’s Purse: They are responding to all different kinds of needs including basic supplies, medical, debris removal, etc. They have set up 5 sites across 4 states.
• Wholesome Wave: They’ve launched a response fund to distribute nutritious food to partner organizations across GA.
• World Central Kitchen: They work to provide food to people in need.

With gratitude,
Tim Bresnahan, Vice President, Advancement and Philanthropic Services

Photo credit: Mike Carlson, Associate Press