Hurricane Helene - How Can We Help?

On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, causing widespread damage, injury, and death. As Helene weakened to a tropical depression, it continued to impact Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Helene continues to leave a path of destruction, and efforts to rebuild and provide relief will be extensive. Nonprofit organizations have begun disaster relief to help with food, water, shelter, healthcare, and essential supplies. 

In times like these, you may be wondering how you can help. Keep reading to see where you can donate, how you can learn more, and other ways to provide aid.

To learn more about Baylor's approach to disaster and crisis response, click here.

Donate & Support

If you would like to provide immediate financial assistance to relief efforts in areas impacted by Helene, you may want to consider one of the listed organizations/campaigns below. While many of these organizations are focused on immediate relief efforts by providing shelter and supplies, some specialize in providing medical care and aid for those impacted. 

Monetary donations should only be made to fully vetted sites and organizations. Charity Navigator provides information on organizations, as well as ratings for more than 9,000 charities.

Note: While Baylor University is supportive of the relief efforts currently being conducted by these organizations, Baylor University is not affiliated with them. 

Online Financial Donation Sites/Campaigns

• One More Child
  • Currently assessing needs to determine next steps
  • To donate

• Texans on Mission (formerly Texas Baptist Men)

  • Engaged in Hurricane Helene relief in North Carolina and Tennessee. And, now, they are sending equipment and disaster response leadership to Florida to respond to Hurricane Milton.
  • To donate
• Acts of Mercy
  • Crisis relief team
  • To donate
• Matthew 25: Ministries 
  • 4 star rating (Charity Navigator)
  • Launching immediate and long-term response to Hurricane Helene; deploying their Disaster Response Team and shipping aid into the impacted areas
  • To donate
• Samaritan's Purse
  • 4 star rating (Charity Navigator)
  • Staff are traveling to hard-hit spots to begin evaluating next steps
  • To donate
• Convoy of Hope 
  • 4 star rating (Charity Navigator)
  • En route to the impact zone to assess needs
  • To donate
• All Hands and Hearts Smart Response 
  • 4 star rating (Charity Navigator)
  • To donate
  • Launching a 12-month response to Hurricane Helene
• American Red Cross
  • 4 star rating (Charity Navigator)
  • To donate  

Other ways to help

• GIVE - Giving money is one of the best ways you can immediately respond. Support relief agencies that are responding directly to help individuals and communities affected.
• LEARN - Follow news coverage and take time to learn what the needs are. Follow social media and stay tuned to reports from the scene. Responders will be quick to share what is needed (and what is not). Don't show up to volunteer uninvited, as your presence may interfere with recovery efforts and distract responders. Once you learn what the needs are, there are several ways you can help (e.g., donate blood, hold a collection drive for requested items, etc.)
• PREPARE - Do you have a desire to be more hands-on? Consider training to become a disaster response volunteer. Invest in learning valuable skills, knowledge, and protocol so that agencies can deploy you to help when disaster strikes.
• PRAY - Lift up the individuals, families, and communities affected in prayer. Pray for God's comfort and mercy, His healing and protection, His relief and restoration. Recovery is often a long-term process and continues long after the media leaves.

Additional Resources

Do your research to determine if organizations are legitimate. Charity Navigator lists reputable organizations. Great Nonprofits and Give Well have reviews of nonprofit groups and can help you see how much of your money goes directly to relief.