Red Cross volunteers respond to Hurricane Helene

GREEN BAY, WI – (WGBW & WISS) – Over 35 Red Cross volunteers from throughout Wisconsin are responding to the devastation following Hurricane Helene. Rebecca Rockhill, Executive Director of the American Red Cross in Green Bay said even more volunteers are waiting to be deployed when they are needed. 

 “We really work to get volunteers – boots on the ground – when we hear it’s coming,” Rockhill said. “Because to show up after the storm has hit is often too late.”

The Red Cross sets up shelters before the storms while people are prepping and when the evacuation orders go out. After the storm hits, then they go into response mode.

“So we’re really about providing that safe shelter. Providing the meals, the emotional support, the clean up kits, that sort of thing,” said Rockhill.

The Red Cross also sent Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) to the 10 states affected by the devastation and flooding from Hurricane Helene. The ERVs are used to take supplies and goods to those that aren’t at the shelter locations.

“Put them into the ERVs and bring them out into those hardest hit areas where there are individuals who are at home but their homes still don’t have power. Or are partially destroyed. Or they just don’t have the resources to get into where the resources sit,” Rockhill said.

Support the Red Cross with donations

Rockhill said volunteers are important for their efforts. But equally important is financial support from the community.

“And even though the Red Cross is chartered by the government for disaster response, we don’t receive any government funding for that response,” Rockhill said. “A hundred percent of that comes from donations –  from individuals. That support is essential.”

Find additional ways you can help with relief efforts by visiting https://civicmedia.us/help.