We live in the Chesapeake/Norfolk area of Virginia and are hunkering down. The org I work for is prepping for a disaster response as soon as the storm clears. Teams will be on the ground to provide safe water, hot meals, hot showers via our brand new shower trailer developed in tandem with Kohler, and then eventually moving on to gutting houses, clearing debris from roads and on houses with our chainsaw and heavy machinery crews, helping residents sort through belongings and eventually to rebuilding some of these houses for families who are really in need.
We will likely be partnering with local churches to et up distribution sites as well as shelter sites. The goal initially is to make sure affected residents have access to the essentials: food and water. Showers make people feel human again. Then get the roads clear and help people get their homes in order for FEMA to come through and make an assessment. The ones who fall though the cracks are the ones we try to rebuild homes for...depending on what sort of funds we have available.
Anybody who doesn't have a local charity they trust and who wants to help should consider us. You can either give OR, after the storm clears we will certainly be needing volunteers. I don't know what the housing arrangements would look like, sometimes we can provide through a rec center or church, sometimes not.
Obviously there are plenty of great charities doing great work so if you feel led to help, do so wherever. This one looks like it's going to be a real doozy and the first week is going to be VERY crucial.
https://www.ob.org/disaster-relief/
