North Alabamians continue helping people affected by Helene

NORTH ALABAMA ( WHNT ) — Another major hurricane is forecasted to hit Florida this week, while hundreds of thousands are still cleaning up damage they suffered during Helene.

Several North Alabama organizations have been on the ground over the past few days and are preparing to continue aid efforts.

“These big events are a marathon, not a sprint, and people are going to need help for a very long time,” Saint Zita Disaster Relief Coordinator Linda Pohuski said.

Saint Zita Disaster Relief , based in Madison County, collected donations last week, including food, hygiene products and cleanup materials. The organization took those supplies to Pearson, Georgia, and handed them out to families who, a week after the storm, still did not have power.

“The minute we would open a box, it would be gone,” Pohuski said. “We probably served about fifty people. They were very desperate for anything we had.”

In Morgan County, a ministry group that is not afraid to get their hands dirty, sent volunteers to the Florida panhandle and Georgia where they met many people who needed help.

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“When there’s a storm, we know people are in one of those moments of crisis, trying to figure out, ‘What do I do, and where do I go from here?'” said 16:15 Ministries Evangelist Cody Michael.

Michael is a part of 16:15 Ministries and their disaster relief program Project Unify. He said it is more than just physical labor, it is about providing spiritual support to those in need.

“When we meet people, it’s not just about can we help you clean up your trees,” Michael said. “We care about your soul. We care about your eternity. We really want to talk to that.”

Project Unity volunteers are headed back to Augusta, Georgia Tuesday morning, and that may not be the end of their work.

“We’ll keep all of our equipment ready to go because when Hurricane Milton hits Florida’s coast, we’ll go there as well if they need us,” Michael said.

You can donate to Project Unity by going to their donation page . Saint Zita Disaster Relief is preparing for future storms. If you would like to financially support their mission, you can donate on their donation page . Organizers ask that you list “Disaster Relief” in the comments of your donation.

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