It’s been one month since Hurricane Helene made landfall in the U.S., devastating countless communities across the Southeast. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Milton slammed into some of those same coastal communities resulting in further damage.
In response, people around the world turned to GoFundMe to support immediate relief and rebuilding efforts. Since Helene made landfall on September 26, more than $110 million has been raised across GoFundMe and Classy, GoFundMe’s software company, to directly help the families, businesses, and communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. More than 550,000 people across all 50 U.S. states and more than 130 countries have donated to GoFundMe fundraisers related to hurricane relief.
Through Classy, nonprofits have raised more than $36 million to aid with their response across the Southeast. This includes organizations like World Central Kitchen, Direct Relief, and The Salvation Army, who are supporting local communities and first responders with emergency supplies and food and water needs following the hurricanes.
“Our global giving community has come together in a remarkable way to help people impacted by these devastating hurricanes,” said Margaret Richardson, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at GoFundMe. “We’re proud to offer easy and trusted ways to support communities reeling from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the nonprofits on the ground providing relief and recovery assistance.”
Help Delivered
The GoFundMe.org Hurricane Relief Fund has raised more than $1 million since September 26. These donations have enabled hundreds of immediate relief grants to be issued to people impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton seeking help through verified GoFundMe fundraisers, and to nonprofit organizations supporting efforts on the ground.
The grants have helped people like the Montealegre family who started a GoFundMe for their parents after a tree narrowly missed them but crashed into and heavily damaged their mobile home in Gainesville, Florida. “During such a difficult time, your donation efforts brought us much-needed relief and support. We were overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity,” the family said in an email. “Your willingness to step in and lend a hand, despite the challenges we all faced, has meant the world to us. Words cannot fully express how much we appreciate the time, effort, and heart that you put into helping our family.”
After DayTrip, a coffee shop and bar in Asheville, North Carolina, was swept away by Helene in a matter of minutes, co-owner Brandon Davis said the GoFundMe started for his business has created a sense of community for him and his husband, Davie. “I have never felt more a part of a community than I have during this,” Davis said. “To not only see the locals supporting me, but small business owners from all over the world who have been vulnerable to share their experiences owning a business during Katrina or Sandy or also during Helene. There is a light in a sea of darkness and it really gives us the drive to feel like we can come back, and now we have to come back because we are not going to let them down.”
As recovery and rebuilding efforts continue in the region, GoFundMe will remain a safe and trusted destination for people to give and receive help. If you’d like to help, consider donating to a verified fundraiser on the hurricane relief hub or to GoFundMe.org’s Hurricane Relief Fund.
