American Red Cross of Northern New England

Let's hear it for our ERV teams! Three Northern New England emergency response vehicles have made the nearly 1,000 mile trek to Charlotte, North Carolina to support those devastated by Hurricane Helene. These ERVs are being staffed by Red Cross volunteers Susan and Tony Mellon, Pete Basiliere and Chip Coupal. We can't thank them enough for their compassion and dedication to our humanitarian mission. In the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida, the Red Cross emergency response vehicles are on the roads providing meals and critical supplies as families begin to clean-up their homes. It will take time to reach all of those who need help. A disaster of this magnitude requires a team effort and the Red Cross is working closely with local officials, government agencies and other nonprofits to make sure people get the help they need as quickly as possible ❤️.

"If we make a difference for a family, a community, that's success for us." Susan Mellon is joining over 20 American Red Cross volunteers from across Northern New England to aid in the recovery from the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Helene is one of the deadliest storms to ever hit the United States, leaving behind hundreds of miles of catastrophic damage and changing lives forever. The American Red Cross has launched a massive response to ensure no one faces this challenging time alone. The full scope of the damage is slowly coming to light. Across the Southeast, hundreds of people are still missing, and damaged roads and bridges have cut off entire communities, making it difficult to get help to those areas. People need water, food, medicine and medical care. Thank you WMUR-TV for keeping this disaster in the public awareness. We are wishing all of our volunteers a safe deployment. People affected by Hurricane Helene need urgent help now, and we can’t do this alone. You can help by making a financial donation by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word HELENE to 90999.

Another Northern New Englander is heading south! Sophie Piconi is temporarily leaving her post as Red Cross Central and Mid Coast Maine executive director to serve the people of North Carolina displaced from Hurricane Helene. Over the next couple weeks, Sophie will be working alongside elected officials to address the needs of these devastated communities. Hurricane Helene is one of the deadliest storms to ever hit the U.S., leaving behind hundreds of miles of catastrophic damage and changing lives forever. The full scope of the damage is slowly coming to light. Across the Southeast, hundreds of people are still missing, and damaged roads and bridges have cut off entire communities, making it difficult to get help to those areas. People need water, food, medicine and medical care. At least 1,200 Red Cross disaster responders are working around the clock to provide safe shelter, comfort and support for people facing unimaginable destruction across the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. More than 200 Red Cross reunification team members are working to reconnect loved ones despite connectivity challenges. We've received more than 3,000 requests for help and that number continues to grow. People affected by Hurricane Helene need urgent help now, and we can’t do this alone. You can help by making a financial donation by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or texting the word HELENE to 90999.

“People responded to Vermont from all over the United States, so it’s really exciting for me to be able to go from Vermont to help another community in need. When it comes right down to it, we are all together in these things and we like to help each other.” American Red Cross volunteer Rachelle LeVau from Fairfax, Vermont is headed to Asheville, North Carolina to help set up shelters and provide supplies for those cut off from the rest of society. Tens of thousands of homes have been affected across an enormous area. Entire communities are unreachable, cut off by floodwaters and damaged roads and bridges. Some 1.7 million customers — about 5 million people — are still without power. Thank you WCAX-TV for keeping Vermonters aware of the devastation from this storm and the urgent need for help. More than 1,000 Red Cross disaster responders are working around the clock with our partners to get help to those in need. Right now, our focus is on providing safe shelter, meals, emotional support and relief supplies for people facing unimaginable destruction across Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Wishing all of our volunteers a safe deployment as they aid in the relief efforts after the devastation from Hurricane Helene. People affected by Hurricane Helene need urgent help now, and we can’t do this alone. You can help by making a financial donation by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word HELENE to 90999.

“I’ve lived here 11 years, and until last year we never had anything like this. We’ve endured three hurricanes in just a little over a year, but this one was the worst.” Lena Underwood shows Red Cross responders the high-water mark on her home in Cedar Key, Florida, after Hurricane Helene and the storm surge devastated the town. Red Crossers blanketed Cedar Key distributing shelf-stable meals to those affected by the historic storm. The only grocery store in the town was destroyed, and these meal kits can feed an entire family. Helene’s catastrophic damage spans hundreds of miles. Tens of thousands of homes have been affected across an enormous area. Entire communities are unreachable, cut off by floodwaters and damaged roads and bridges. Millions are still without power. More than 1,000 Red Cross disaster responders are working around the clock with our partners to get help to those in need. Right now, our focus is on providing safe shelter, meals, emotional support and relief supplies for people facing unimaginable destruction across Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Hurricane Helene survivors need urgent help now! You can help by making a financial donation by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or texting the word HELENE to 90999.

"I know people came from across the country to help us here in Vermont. And now I'm glad that I can go outside of Vermont and go help people in another community." American Red Cross volunteer Rachelle LeVau from Fairfax is headed to Asheville, North Carolina to help set up shelters and provide supplies for those cut off from the rest of society. Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage spans hundreds of miles and has uprooted lives and communities forever. The American Red Cross has launched a massive response to ensure no one faces this challenging time alone. Thank you NBC5 for keeping up the public awareness on this disaster, and telling the stories of the Vermonters that are on their way to help. Wishing all of our volunteers a safe deployment as they aid in the relief efforts after the devastation from Hurricane Helene. People affected by Hurricane Helene need urgent help now, and we can’t do this alone. You can help by making a financial donation by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word HELENE to 90999.

"It's heartbreaking what's taking place down there. It's devastating and I'm grateful to be able to represent the Red Cross of Northern New England on this operation." Red Cross volunteers Tony and Susan Mellon are hitting the road today, driving one of our region's emergency response vehicles to South Carolina with an eventual mission of providing support in North Carolina, when it's safe to do so. This is the Scarborough, Maine couple's third Red Cross deployment, and first outside our region. The Mellons will be distributing water, food and much needed relief supplies to some of the communities hardest hit by Hurricane Helene. "We're both retired. It's a way for us to give back. It's a way for us to have purpose. It's a way for us to help others," Tony said. Please join us in wishing Tony and Susan a safe deployment. We thank you for your service and flexibility!

“It passed right through here and it scared me to death. I’ve been through three hurricanes in the past 15 months — and this was the worst," said Garry of Steinhatchee, Florida. "This has been happening to us again and again. But the Red Cross has been here every time.” More than 900 Red Cross disaster responders (including at least 22 volunteers from Northern New England), alongside our partners, are working around the clock to get help to those in need. Right now, our focus is on providing safe shelter, meals, emotional support and relief supplies for people facing unimaginable destruction. In the Carolinas, entire communities are submerged by floodwaters and cut off from aid with people waiting to be rescued with no access to food, power or fuel. In Georgia and Tennessee, damage from downed trees and flooding have left neighborhoods unrecognizable. And in Florida, cars are buried in sand and homes have been gutted by the massive storm surge. Each day, we are working tirelessly to reach more neighborhoods as conditions improve. People affected by Hurricane Helene need help now. You can help by making a financial donation, by visiting redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). You can also text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation.

“We pulled into the driveway, and my daughter began to cry — she said, ‘Mom, we don’t have a home anymore.'" Amber and her family found refuge at the American Red Cross emergency shelter in Perry, Florida, after Hurricane Helene devastated their home. Having survived three hurricanes in the past 15 months, Amber’s first call was to 1-800-RED CROSS to find the nearest shelter. “As soon as I pulled up to the shelter, it made me feel good. I thought to myself, this is safe, and I’m going to be OK," she said. Dr. Thomas Barela, a Red Cross disaster health services volunteer sat with Amber and her daughter at the shelter and listened as they shared their harrowing experience. “I can’t really know what it’s like to be in their situation,” he said, “but I can be here for them. I just try to be as supportive as I can to help them cope.” Days after landfall, millions of people, just like Amber and her daughter, are still reeling from the heartbreak left behind by Hurricane Helene. The Red Cross has launched a massive response along the 500-mile path of destruction to ensure no one faces this challenging time alone. Sunday night, more than 2,600 people stayed in 69 emergency shelters supported by the Red Cross and other community organizations. So far, the Red Cross and our partners have provided some 18,000 overnight stays for Helene. People affected by Hurricane Helene need help now. You can help by making a financial donation, by visiting redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). Financial donations for Hurricane Helene enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. You can also text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation.

In their own words... Residents of Suwannee, Florida braced for the third major hurricane to hit their community in the last 13 months on Wednesday evening. Hurricane Helene, a category 4 storm, downed trees, power lines and caused enormous destruction across multiple states. Residents in Suwannee were left without electricity or access to running water. We are bringing supplies including water, warm meals and other emergency supplies to the area and surrounding counties. The American Red Cross has launched a massive relief response to get help to where it is needed across a vast area covering hundreds of miles from Florida to Tennessee. Our work is just beginning, and thousands of people affected by Hurricane Helene need help.