Hurricane Milton struck the west coast of Florida late Wednesday into Thursday, battering the state with 120 mph winds and dumping 18 inches of rain in some locations.
Though the Category 3 storm weakened from a Category 5 status before making landfall, some places still experienced record-breaking flooding.
Additionally, the National Weather Service in Miami detected at least four tornadoes as a result of Milton, and CNN has reported that at least four are dead from a tornado in St. Lucie County.
PowerOutage.us also estimates that just over 3.4 million people in Florida are without electricity. According to CNN, some counties are reporting that around 70% of households are without power.
As authorities begin to assess the damages wrought by Milton, right on the heels of Hurricane Helene's destruction in the same region, many organizations are seeking donations to provide critical aid to those impacted.
Contributions of any kind can go a long way in helping residents rebuild their communities and get back on their feet.
Florida Disaster Fund
The Florida Disaster Fund is the emergency response arm for the Hope Florida initiative and acts as the state's private fund for emergency and disaster relief. All donations will be allocated to providing victims of hurricanes Helene and Milton with food, household goods, and home repairs.
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross is taking financial donations to support its variety of services for communities impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton. It noted in a press release that its evacuation shelters housed 32,000 individuals and their pets Tuesday as they fled in advance of Milton's landfall.
The nonprofit humanitarian organization is also asking for blood donations, as Helene forced the cancellation of blood drives in the region and caused thousands of blood and platelet donations to go uncollected.
Baby2Baby
Baby2Baby is a national nonprofit that donates diapers, formula, baby food, and blankets to families with infants. It distributed over 2 million emergency supplies during Hurricane Helene but needs continued support for a region that has been hit by two hurricanes in quick succession.
"Emergency supplies from Baby2Baby are already on the ground in Florida and we are preparing additional shipments containing diapers, formula, blankets, hygiene products and more to serve children and their families following two back-to-back hurricanes," its post on Instagram reads.
Feeding Tampa Bay
Feeding Tampa Bay is a local cause that tackles food insecurity in 10 counties across West Central Florida. The organization has mobile locations and has partnered with soup kitchens and pantries to offer free hot meals and fresh groceries. To learn more about the time and location of its services — which will resume Friday — you can check its Find Food page.
The Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States, an animal welfare and rescue organization, is accepting donations for its Emergency Animal Relief Fund. Donations to this cause will help staff rescue, care, and provide temporary shelter for stranded animals while helping reunite pets separated from their families.
Other areas farther north are still reeling from Hurricane Helene as well. You can review some of the many ways to donate to help people in those areas here.
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