Calling Our Members to Assist With Hurricane Relief
SIA applauds members already providing support and encourages all members to make contributions or provide volunteer support
With back-to-back deadly Hurricanes Helene and Milton having struck the southeastern United States, the Security Industry Association (SIA) expresses its heartfelt empathy for all those who have suffered from these hurricanes and the after-effects of these storms. Families and businesses have experienced devastating destruction. Far too many lives have been changed forever. Any life lost is truly heartbreaking. During these times of unconscionable tragedy, our industry stands with the affected communities. We offer our support through prayers, local volunteerism and financial resources.
Now is the time to act. SIA encourages our membership to personally support relief and recovery efforts and encourage our members to support such efforts at the corporate level to help our communities and fellow Americans recover from these disasters. We also thank all member companies that have facilitated or encouraged volunteer efforts by their team members, or which have stood up relief efforts and made donations as a company.
We thank all the first responders, disaster preparedness experts and charitable and humanitarian organizations for their continuous response and recovery efforts.
How You Can Help
In times of need, it can often be confusing when trying to assess how to best respond. One of the best ways to know what impacted areas need is to ask industry contacts in these affected areas how they are and, more importantly, what they and their communities need. SIA also recommend leveraging the boots-on-the-ground impact of established organizations that can channel volunteer response and proper use of financial and material donations.
SIA, using guidance provided from members in the affected areas and information delivered through channels like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, recommends these organizations among others:
- The World Central Kitchen has already been operating in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee with food and water aid. The organization is likely to expand its mission beyond the Hurricane Helene affected regions and now into the zone affected by Hurricane Milton.
- The American Red Cross is providing disaster relief in areas impacted by both Helene and Milton. The organization is known for assisting with shelter, food and relief supplies. The organization is seeking financial donations to support these missions.
- The United Way has already mobilized to respond to Hurricane Helene and is expected to similarly mobile for Hurricane Milton. The organization’s blog summarizes some of its activities and is soliciting donations.
- The Salvation Army operates mobile feeding units and warehouses supplies for distribution in affected areas and is responding immediately to both Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene impact zones.
- BeLoved Asheville has focused on housing and equity issues but has rapidly expanded its mission to crisis response and has been standing up efforts to get necessary supplies and services to the Asheville, North Carolina, area and the surrounding mountain communities.
- FloridaCommerce has created a webpage of resources for businesses in Florida dealing with the effects of hurricanes.
- The Florida Disaster Fund is the state’s official private fund for disaster and emergencies and serves as the emergency response arm for the Hope Florida initiative.
- North Carolina’s Disaster Relief Fund is likewise an official state disaster and emergency fund and is soliciting donations to help the unmet needs of hurricane victims.
- The National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster helps place volunteers (and their donations) with disaster relief organizations and functions to channel volunteer efforts.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides a list of recommendations on how to help Hurricane Helene survivors.
SIA also encourages members to share recommendations of relief and response organizations and opportunities via your own personal and organizational social channels and communications tools.