A Florida guide to giving, volunteering after Hurricane Idalia ravages Big Bend
Volunteers are stationed at the Capital Area Red Cross office to help residents after Hurricane Idalia, the first major named hurricane to hit the Big Bend region in the modern age.
Several hundred are working at the local chapter, officials said. Kyndra Light was one of them. As a volunteer and board member, she's been filling in needs wherever necessary: meal distribution for incoming volunteers, kitchen cleanup and meal service.
While Leon County was spared the brunt of the storm's fury with a zero hour jog to the east, the capital city's fortune meant ruin for some Big Bend communities.
Since Sunday, it's been all hands on deck at the disaster agency, along with scores of others organizations who are rallying resources and intel on how best to help.
"It really is a wide range," said Light, who owns Precision Building & Renovating with her husband. "All of our board members have been coming in to help with that effort and leading in all of that."
Back story: Tallahassee's Idalia experience: A 'meteorological sneeze' separates fortune from utter ruin
Volunteers are mobilizing to descend on hard-hit rural towns in the surrounding areas. Many drove in from out of state to help.
“We established a shelter as things got impacted,” said Mudit Rungta, a volunteer from Stamford, Connecticut. “People came over who needed a place to stay, drink water, charge their phone and stay out of harm's way. We saw a lot of broken trees, very high winds, a lot of rain – and blackouts.”
Another volunteer, Rick McCullough, a retired Time Warner repair technician, drove nearly 1,000 miles from Niles, Ohio, to render aid wherever necessary during his second volunteer stint with the agency.
Soon he will be deployed for what is called “feeding” duty. He says he will be driving through impacted areas with a van and distributing bottles of water and pre-packaged food to victims.
WAYS TO HELP
Here's a collection of ways you can help by volunteering or donating. The list includes what some agencies need to provide direct aid to hurricane survivors throughout the Big Bend area. If your organization needs help, helping those hardest hit by Idalia, email us how people can help at news@tallahassee.com.
Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross
In the wake of the Category 3 storm, the agency has been working with emergency officials to make sure people stay out of harm's way. Amber Bierfreund, communications director at the American Red Cross North Florida Region, said the agency is coordinating volunteers and resources.
At this time, she said the quickest and best way to help the agency is with financial contribution at https://www.redcross.org on the agency's landing page dedicated toward hurricane relief efforts.
"We're bringing new things in and we're sending them out," she said. "We're just trying to figure out where those pockets are, where the need is and trying to coordinate all of those resources."
Volunteers represent 90% of the Red Cross workforce. Contact volunteer coordinator Dana McMillian at 850-491-2997 or sign up online for opportunities. The most-needed disaster positions include supporting shelters and providing health services.
Second Harvest of the Big Bend
The agency is asking for volunteers at several of the planned mega mobiles in outlying counties as well as volunteer shifts at their warehouse. Interested residents are asked to visit the agency's website to sign up for shifts. "If community members are unable to participate in these volunteer activities, we are asking for monetary donations, so that we can quickly purchase needed supplies to support our neighbors to the east," said Monique Ellsworth, executive director of the Second Harvest of the Big Bend.
Visit FightingHunger.org/Idalia.
If you have any questions, email libby@fightinghunger.org or faith@fightinghunger.org.
United Way of the Big Bend
The agency has set up a disaster relief fund to help residents, particularly those in Madison and Taylor counties. It's at uwbb.org/disaster-relief-fund. You can also donate through the website or by texting RELIEF2023 to 41444.
The agency also is hosting a supply drive that kicks off Sept. 5 at its office, 307 E. 7th Ave.
"We won't be delivering those right away," said Berneice Cox, the agency's president and CEO. "But we will have them ready to go and delivered as soon as we get the go ahead that we can come into the Madison County and into Taylor County."
Fallen trees have created impassable roads, making recovery and response difficult. Cox also said there are short-term and long-term needs, including the loss of power for weeks and no running water.
UF/IFAS Extension Wakulla County
The Wakulla County Extension is collecting relief items Friday, Sept. 1, and Saturday, Sept. 2. Items will be provided to residents living in Taylor, Jefferson and Madison counties.
Items needed include gas can, fuel for generators, water, Clorox wipes, Gatorade, chain saws, snacks, non-perishable food, general cleaning supplies, heavy duty trash bags, insect repellant, utility gloves, paper plates, plastic utensil and wet wipes.
The drop off will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 84 Cedar Ave. in Crawfordville
American Kidney Fund
The American Kidney Fund has activated its Disaster Relief Program, the nation’s only rapid-response system that provides emergency financial assistance to dialysis and recent transplant patients, for those impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
The emergency $200 grants are dedicated to dialysis and post-transplant patients in the counties of Alachua, Baker, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Pasco, Pinellas, Putnam, Sarasota, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia and Wakulla.
Financial donations are requested; 100% of donations will be used to assist kidney patients affected by natural disasters. For more information, go to www.kidneyfund.org.
Cleanup assistance
The Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce has been in contact with several local churches as well as leaders within the affected counties who are organizing clean-up and volunteer crews. See below a list of current opportunities and contact information should you wish to serve.
Calvary Baptist Church in Perry - Ben Kimmel, Pastor - 850-843-3179
Matt Cruce, Perry Resident - On hand to help direct cleanup to areas most in need - 850-843-2104
Celebration Baptist Church- David Emmert, Pastor - 850-893-1709. A crew will be deployed Saturday at 8:00 a.m. to help with clean-up at a sister church, The Bridge in Madison (1135 US-90, Madison, FL 32340) Sign up HERE.
Wildwood Church - Todd Veleber - 850-270-302 or help@wildwoodtlh.com. Planning to deploy a crew this weekend.
Contact Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com. Follow @TaMarynWaters on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Hurricane Idalia: How to donate, volunteer after storm pounds Big Bend
