American Red Cross of Colorado seeking volunteers, donations for Helene recovery

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Following the disastrous impact of Hurricane Helene on the southeast, the American Red Cross of Colorado said it's in desperate need of more volunteers to fill spots being vacated as deployments end.

The Category 4 storm tore through the Sunshine State before heading north through Georgia and the Carolinas, leaving millions without power and with limited access to necessities.

The Red Cross is looking for individuals willing to travel for two weeks to an area where need is the greatest. From handing out food to delivering aid with Emergency Response Vehicles, volunteers are needed in every area of hurricane recovery, the organization says.

Dennie Hoyt is a volunteer with the American Red Cross of Southern Colorado. He arrived in Georgia on Sunday and has since been in the trenches, helping people affected by one of the most destructive storms seen in years.

"My heart goes out to the people that are trying to deal with it," said Hoyt. "Well, the destruction is just an incredible, we have, structural, damage from wind and flood, both." 

Phil Martinez is the executive director with the American Red Cross of Southern Colorado and said people are willing to help but they still need more volunteers.

"1200 is not enough. we have emergency shelters that are open right now, and it's extremely important to recruit as many people as we possibly can," said Martinez. "So we need help from folks that are willing to assist us in the emergency shelters. Folks that can really help with mental health services. really providing comfort kits, feeding the hundreds and hundreds of people that that are left homeless because of this." 

According to the American Red Cross of Colorado, there are nearly 1,400 responders nationwide currently on the ground, with hundreds more on their way in – including at least 20 local volunteers.

Those members are stations across 10 states in the southeast affected by Helene, including North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.

There are numerous ways you can help the Red Cross support those impacted by Hurricane Helene:

Volunteering

Interested volunteers can sign up at redcross.org/volunteer.

All candidates must complete necessary training and be able to commit to a two-week deployment. Applicants who don’t have disaster experience, but have supervision, management or organization skills; a strong desire to help others; and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, are encouraged to apply.

Financial donation

The American Red Cross is gathering funds to help those impacted by Helene; donations can either be made made online or over the phone by calling 1-800-435-7669. 

You can also text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation.

If you wish to donate by mail, you can fill out a donation form and mail it to:

American Red Cross 
PO Box 37839
Boone, IA 50037-0839

Blood donation

Helene caused more than 1,500 blood donations to go uncollected in the Southeast — yet the need for blood remains constant for patients in need, according to the American Red Cross.

Those outside the affected areas are encouraged to schedule a blood donation by visiting visiting RedCrossBlood.org or using the Blood Donor App to help restock shelves.