Hurricane Helene Relief

Hurricanes Helene and Milton: How Direct Relief is Responding >>

Responders to Hurricane Helene with Direct Relief medical packs — Mobile health providers at Appalachian Mountain Community Health Centers, with Direct Relief-donated field medic packs. The organization is providing community care in western North Carolina area after Hurricane Helene. The organization has received a $25,000 emergency operating grant and a wide array of requested medical support, along with 13 other nonprofit health partners responding throughout the southeastern U.S. (Photo courtesy of Appalachian Mountain Community Health Center)

Quick Facts

Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing life-threatening storm surges, destructive winds, heavy rainfall, and significant flooding.

Direct Relief is responding after Hurricane Helene has caused unprecedented damage across the southeastern U.S. and southern Appalachia, disrupting essential services.

Since Hurricane Helene made landfall on September 25, Direct Relief has delivered more than $2.5 million in medical aid to healthcare providers in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Delivering Critical Aid to Communities Hit by Hurricane Helene

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Direct Relief has swiftly mobilized to support the hardest-hit areas:

$74 million in medicines and medical supplies made available to healthcare partners.
$350,000 in financial assistance to community health centers, free clinics, and other healthcare providers affected by the storm.

Emergency Grants Provided:

Oceana Community Clinic in Fort Pierce, Florida: Received funding after sustaining flood and wind damage to one of its mobile medical units.
NC Med Assist: A statewide non-profit pharmacy in North Carolina supported to continue its vital services in the hurricane’s wake.
12 Community Health Centers in Western North Carolina: Assisted to address storm-related damages, medicine losses, and site closures due to power and water outages.

These grants offer a financial cushion, enabling these safety net providers to launch critical community outreach initiatives, procure urgently needed supplies, and cover other unanticipated expenses.

Essential Medical Shipments:

Direct Relief has dispatched more than 175 shipments of specifically requested emergency medical aid to more than 90 healthcare providers in Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee after Hurricane Helene.

The shipments contained:

Medications: Antibiotics, chronic disease medications, and epinephrine for allergic reactions.
Vaccines: Tetanus, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B vaccines due to increased risk from flooding.
Essential Supplies: Personal protective equipment (PPE), oral rehydration salts, and water purification tablets.