Red Cross feeds Augustans, helping where it can

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - As different organizations are setting up their relief events and getting people their necessities, the American Red Cross is also here to help people where they can.

Susan Everitt, longtime Augusta resident and executive director of the Red Cross, says there are 256 volunteers in Georgia, and quite a few of them are in Augusta now.

“I never thought that I would be deployed into my own backyard for a major disaster like this,” said Everitt. “I had hoped I never would be, but I am glad that we’re here and we have some resources to help people get back to their new normal.”

Of her 16 deployments, Everitt said Helene is one of the worst she has been to.

“All across the country, all sorts of disaster, and this certainly ranks up there with the worst I have ever seen,” she said.

The Red Cross is continuing their mobile feedings that will stop to feed people a hot meal, along with shelters where people can get out of the heat, get some food and charge any devices.

Everitt said the Red Cross is helping with centers including the Henry Brigham Community Center and also spoke about how you can help in the aftermath of Helene.

“I have had so many people reach out and want to know how they can help. That is the silver lining, the first thing they can do is volunteer,” said Everitt.

You can volunteer by giving blood or donating to the Red Cross on their website.

Augusta’s mayor reported Tuesday that the Red Cross is helping feed people affected by Hurricane Helene.

A Red Cross feeding truck was set to be at the Hub for Community Innovation, 631 Chafee Ave., after 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Then on Wednesday, the truck was set to go street by street through the Harrisburg and Paine College neighborhoods until the food was gone.

Mayor Garnett Johnson also said at a news conference that the Red Cross had served 3,000 hot meals Monday to military families at Fort Eisenhower.

News 12 reached out to the Red Cross to ask about the decision to serve military families – who likely have more resources to feed themselves – ahead of residents of underserved Augusta neighborhoods.

RESOURCES FOR YOU:

• Free food: Where to get it across the CSRA
• What’s open? Gas stations, restaurants and grocery stores in the CSRA
• Shelter: Where to go if Helene impacted you in the CSRA

By Monday, families on the post had already received a memo issued Sunday authorizing them to evacuate because of the lack of electricity and water service.

After news broke Monday of the evacuation authorization, the city of Augusta announced in the evening that water service had been restored south of Gordon Highway – an area that includes the post.

On Tuesday, Fort Eisenhower issued a boil water advisory. Portable, drinkable water will be distributed until the boil water advisory is lifted.

And on Monday night, the lights were on at Fort Eisenhower for the first time in three days.

We haven’t heard back yet from the Red Cross about the decisions.

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