Over 50 Red Cross volunteers from the Northwest Region have responded to assist with hurricane relief efforts on the east coast.
Together, Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton have affected swaths of people across the southeastern United States, leaving hundreds dead and millions without power.
While thousands flee from the hurricanes’ devastation, Laura Warriner of Coeur d’Alene, is one of the volunteers headed to help.
“Volunteerism is in my bones,” she said.
Warriner will deploy to Tallahassee, Florida to offer a set of helping hands as a Disaster Mental Health Volunteer.
“When we have a disaster, whether it’s a tornado, a flood, a hurricane or lava flow in Hawaii, if I have the availability, I will go, and when I don’t have the availability, sometimes it almost hurts,” she said.
Warnnier has served as a Red Cross volunteer since 2013, but helped with disaster relief efforts for years before then.
Her previous volunteer deployments include Hurricane Idalia, Hurricane Ian and the Maui Wildfires.
“When you walk the streets and you’re doing outreach out in the community, and somebody says, ‘Can I hug you?’ Sometimes, it can just bring tears to your eyes. Because, you were just there,” she said.
Warriner said more support is needed, especially to those who have evacuated their homes.
For more information for how you can help the Red Cross with disaster relief, click here.
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