Helpful Tips for Donating
An aerial view of a flooded city with a bridge over a river.

Hurricane Helene Volunteer and Donations – How to Help

There is a great outpouring of support from individuals, businesses, and organizations throughout the country to help those affected by Hurricane Helene across the Southeast.

Donations and volunteers can be extremely helpful after a disaster, and meet the needs of the victims, the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADs), non-profits, community and faith-based organizations, and the government officials involved in the response. Unfortunately, donated goods and volunteers that are not specifically necessary can cause more confusion and hurt relief efforts. Coordinating donated money, goods, and volunteer efforts after a disaster ensures that survivors get help effectively and efficiently.



CASH IS BEST

The best way to help people after a disaster is to donate cash to a recognized disaster relief organization. Monetary donations allow charitable organizations the flexibility to purchase items that are needed most, and, unlike material donations, cash donations entail no transportation costs. Cash donations avoid the process of collecting, sorting, and transporting donated goods. Cash donations may be tax deductible.

Cash donations allow relief organizations to:

  • fund response and recovery efforts
  • get goods and services and
  • give financial aid to survivors.


Do not send unsolicited goods. It is important that prior to collecting any relief items, donors should contact the receiving local or national relief organization to verify the need and to make necessary transportation arrangements. Failure to do this will result in personnel, time, space, and money being spent to process uncoordinated items and will further detract from the resources being available to provide direct support to those affected by the disaster.


  • Donate goods that are specifically requested or needed by recognized organizations. Contact your chosen organization before starting to collect or donate.
  • Make a food donation to a local food bank that may distribute food to those impacted by the disaster.


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VOLUNTEER


FIND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES HERE


  • Get involved with a disaster relief organization before a disaster happens. They can provide the necessary training to help when a disaster occurs.
  • Don't self-deploy to a disaster zone. Local officials will give specific instructions about how to volunteer. You can also check with volunteer organizations to learn about opportunities to help.
  • Be patient. Sometimes the need for volunteers is greater during the recovery period.


Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) members and partners are assisting communities in need. They will serve these communities as long as necessary. For a list of organizations involved in disaster response in the affected areas, visit their websites. Visit the social media sites of disaster relief organizations for more information.

Alabamians can help those in need by donating and volunteering responsibly. These donation and volunteer tips apply to disaster relief efforts within Alabama, across the country, and internationally.

Volunteer, Donation Resources for Affected Southeast States



Florida


Georgia


North Carolina


South Carolina


Tennessee


Alabama - Alabama VOAD (alvoad.org)
Florida - FLVOAD (wpengine.com)
Georgia - Georgia VOAD (gavoad.org)

North Carolina - North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (ncvoad.org)
South Carolina - //SCemd.org/recover/volunteer-and-donate/
Tennessee - Tennessee VOAD (tnvoad.org)



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OTHER INFO

Locating Loved Ones

Family and friends are encouraged to check social network sites for information about your loved ones. American Red Cross is helping find loved ones through their helpline 1-800-RED-CROSS or complete this form online: https://rdcrss.org/3TQPblL.  If someone is missing a child related to this disaster or any other incident, they need to call 9-1-1 and then 1-800-THE-LOST to receive assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Find Help Near You. 2-1-1 provides individuals with the latest information and essential community services. It is the most comprehensive source of information about local resources and services available in the country. Call 2-1-1 or (888) 421-1266. Call 7-1-1 if you are hearing-impaired and ask to be connected to 2-1-1 Connects Alabama. In Alabama visit: //www.211connectsalabama.org/

If you are an organization providing resources, please call 2-1-1 or call 1-888-421-1266.

For additional volunteer opportunities visit https://serveal.galaxydigital.com/.  If you want more information on how to donate responsibly and need assistance in connecting with an organization involved in disaster response efforts, please email info@ServeAlabama.gov or call 334-242-1549.



Governor’s Office of Volunteer Services
Main line: 334-242-1549
Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. for business calls
Email: info@ServeAlabama.gov
Physical Address: 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 312, Montgomery, AL 36104
www.servealabama.gov

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Pre-Council & Council Meetings July 27, 2026

July 28, 2026
Pre-Council Meeting - July 27, 2026

Comprehensive Plan

July 24, 2026
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July 20, 2026
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July 15, 2026
You may see a large and very visible police presence around the campus and inside OLS over the next week or so. This is training.  The Homewood Police Department will be conducting active shooter response training on the campus of Our Lady of Sorrows School July 16 and 17 and July 20 through 24, from 9am to 3pm each day. This is part of HPD's annual training and will also include medical trauma treatment and first aid. We wanted to make sure you knew what was happening if you see the activity in the area.

Planning Commission July 14, 2026

July 15, 2026
The Planning Commission reviewed a proposed zoning definition for minor vehicle repair after concerns about vehicle-focused businesses along the Green Springs corridor. Discussion focused on whether the proposed definition was too broad and could affect specialized businesses or existing businesses that may become nonconforming. The commission recommended using a shorter definition focused on routine, low-impact vehicle services and removing the long list of examples. The amended recommendation passed 5 to 1 and now moves to the City Council. Agenda: https://bit.ly/4vQEikP

Scam Alert! Cyber-Criminals Impersonating City Officials

July 15, 2026
Scammers are becoming more sophisticated and may use the names of real City officials, employees or information from public meetings to make an email, text message or phone call appear legitimate. A familiar name or email does not mean the message is real. The City of Homewood will NEVER ask you to purchase gift cards, send cryptocurrency or make a personal payment to a City official or employee through an unsolicited email or text message. Cash and check are the only forms of payment currently accepted for Variance, Rezoning, Resurvey, and Development Plan applications. If you receive ANY request involving money, STOP and VERIFY it before responding. Call the City using THIS CONTACT INFO . DO NOT call a phone number included in the suspicious message. You could be calling the scammer back instead of a City official. And if you are still unsure, come see us! Visit City Hall, 4th Floor, and talk directly with our staff. We can help verify any request involving money. You can also verify using these emails: fred.goodwin@homewoodal.org emily.harrismiller@homewoodal.org If you are directed by City staff to send in your payemnt, use this information:  Attn: Department of Engineering and Zoning City of Homewood 2850 19th Street South, Fourth Floor Homewood, AL 35209

31 Tunnel - A Little History

July 14, 2026
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Pre-Council & Council Meetings July 13, 2026

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Pre-Council Meeting - July 13, 2026

BZA Meeting July 9, 2026

July 10, 2026
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July 6, 2026
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