RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — In response to the devastation left by Hurricane Helene, ABC11 is partnering with the American Red Cross to support disaster relief efforts.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW

The fundraiser officially begins at 6 a.m. Thursday. Financial donations are the fastest way to help those who need it most.

All donations allow the Red Cross to distribute meals, water and essential supplies to the hardest hit communities – like Western North Carolina.

This is how your donation helps

$8 – Provides a comfort kit with toiletries and a blanket. Comfort Kits contain the basic personal supplies someone would need after a disaster.

What is included in a comfort set? Deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, facial tissue, washcloth, shampoo, liquid soap, lotion, comb, razor and shaving cream. Typically, blankets are distributed to people in pairs to pad their camp bed in a shelter and cover themselves while sleeping.

$15 – Offers a comfort package and snack for 3 people. The snacks are provided by Red Cross staff and distributed in emergency shelters or through mobile feeding in communities using Red Cross emergency vehicles. Comfort packs, stored and ready for distribution across the country, contain the basic personal items people need after a disaster. The set includes deodorant, a toothbrush, toothpaste, facial tissue, washcloth, shampoo, liquid soap, lotion, comb, razor and shaving foam.

$20 – Offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. During times of disaster, these prepared meals are served by Red Cross workers in shelters or in Red Cross emergency vehicles driving through the neighborhood. Every effort is made to provide culturally appropriate food based on the needs of a community.

$24 – Provides comfort for two families of four. These supplies are being stockpiled and ready for distribution across the country.

$50 – Provides food and shelter for one person for a full day. This service includes the provision of breakfast, lunch and dinner, the cost of providing and distributing a cot, two blankets and a comfort pack, as well as the cost of supporting Red Cross staff providing this service

$124 – Provide travel expenses, food and lodging for one day, and training for a shelter worker. The donation covers the costs of training and a day of work for a member of the animal shelter team. These shelter employees are fully trained to manage an animal shelter in the event of a disaster. This includes training materials, trainer costs and other miscellaneous expenses. When the Red Cross sends a trained disaster responder to a disaster-affected community, the organization covers travel, food and lodging costs, allowing the worker to focus their energy on caring for those affected.

$360 – Covers the cost of the Red Cross Emergency Vehicle (ERV) for one day. This specialized vehicle is designed to assist people affected by disasters, allowing them to travel into communities to deliver meals, snacks, supplies, information and comfort. These daily costs include fuel and maintenance costs, as well as travel, food and lodging for the two Red Cross disaster responders operating the vehicle.

$842 – Provides food and shelter for a family of four for five days. This service includes the provision of breakfast, lunch and dinner, the cost of providing and distributing a cot, two blankets and a comfort pack, as well as the cost of Red Cross staff providing this support.

Of course, you can’t just help with a monetary donation. The Red Cross also needs blood donors and volunteers. For more information on how you can help, click here or call 1-800-733-2767.

SEE ALSO | ‘Here for them’: Triangle businesses continue to mobilize food and water for Western NC

Johnston County, is hosting a week-long fundraiser with the Sheriff’s Office and EMS. Donations can be dropped off at the sheriff’s office at 2875 US Highway 70 Business East in Smithfield on Mondays from 1 to 5 p.m. They will continue to accept donations through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m

Samaritan’s pursebased in Boone is looking for volunteers to help homeowners tear down the city.

You can also donate United Way And Salvation Army.

FEMA

North Carolina homeowners and renters in 25 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who suffered uninsured damage or loss from Tropical Storm Helene may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance. FEMA may be able to assist with severe needs, displacement, temporary housing, basic home repair costs, loss of personal property, or other disaster-related needs.

There are several ways to apply: Use the FEMA app online. You can also call the toll-free number 800-621-3362 daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET. The phone line is open daily and help is available in most languages.

NC Disaster Relief Fund

The money will support both immediate and long-term recovery efforts in communities affected by Hurricane Helene. The fund is managed by United Way of North Carolina. The Duke Energy Foundation has already made a generous donation of $100,000.

Donations to the Governor’s NC Disaster Relief Fund can be made here.

“It is important to us to help all affected North Carolina communities through this crisis,” said Duke Energy North Carolina State President Kendal Bowman. “We hope these matching funds inspire others to join us in supporting our neighbors during this devastating time.”

United Way

United Way of North Carolina has launched a UW Helps NC Fund. The fund will support immediate and long-term recovery efforts in communities affected by Hurricane Helene. Contributions to the UW Helps NC Fund can be easily made online. Donors can designate their contributions to a specific United Way or allow UWNC to allocate funds to areas of greatest need.

All hands and hearts

All Hands and Hearts has already deployed teams to North Carolina and throughout Florida to assess and support communities affected by the impacts of Hurricane Helene.

The organization launched a 12-month response to Hurricane Helene with the goal of raising $2 million in donations “to support the long-term recovery of these devastated communities.”

Click here to learn more and support the All Hands and Hearts cause.

America

The team’s operations on the ground in Florida are assisting with health needs and delivering medicine and supplies to the hardest-hit communities, while another Americares response team is deployed to North Carolina to support relief efforts in the western part of the state near the Tennessee border .

Click here to learn more and donate.

Direct relief

Direct Relief has assisted more than 50 safety net health care providers in the path of Hurricane Helene and is accepting donations to support affected areas with emergency medical supplies, hygiene kits and transportation assistance.

Click here to learn more about how you can help with Direct Relief.

Mutual disaster relief

The grassroots initiative actively accepts donations in the form of vital supplies and financial support via the action network.

Funds raised online will go toward on-site relief and recovery efforts to provide affected community members with supplies, medicine and work crews.

World Central Kitchen

World Central Kitchen — the nonprofit organization backed by celebrity chef Jose Andres that helps provide food to first responders and residents after natural disasters — preemptively activated its network of cooking resources in Tallahassee, Florida, to help the hardest-hit communities of Hurricane Helene.

In an update published on Monday afternoon

“Water, sand and debris cover our search areas, but we will continue to do everything we can to provide nutritious meals,” the post said.