- This year has seen the most weather-related deaths in the 50 U.S. states in a decade.
- A near-record number of billion-dollar disasters have happened.
- Countless people have been affected.
Feeling inspired to do good in the world in honor of Giving Tuesday on Nov. 30?
Helping people hit by weather disasters is a good place to start.
With an already near-record number of billion-dollar weather disasters and the most weather-related deaths in a decade for the 50 states, 2021 has not been kind to much of the U.S.
Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves, cold, lightning, wind and wildfires have all taken their toll – more than 538 people have been killed by the weather this year, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.
Countless survivors of those events lost their homes or businesses, or were otherwise affected.
Some, like Lake Charles resident Claudette Price, were still recovering from previous hits. The apartment complex Price manages was damaged by two hurricanes, a flood and a tornado in a span of about 14 months.
“Hurricane Laura was the devil and then (Hurricane) Delta tried to beat it,” Price told the Associated Press, referring to hurricanes that hit in 2020.
Those were followed by floods this spring and, most recently, a tornado on Oct. 27. Some families had just returned to their apartments while others were still waiting for repairs.
It doesn’t take multiple disasters, or even a single headline-making one, for people to be in need.
The Red Cross provides assistance including emergency shelter, food, baby supplies and other necessities for residents like those in Price’s complex, but also to those hit by a singular event, like a lightning strike that sets fire to a home.
The Red Cross’s Giving Tuesday website lets donors choose if they’d like to donate to disaster relief, general needs or other priorities. There are also options to donate by mail or phone, and volunteering is another way to help.
And remember, when donating to any charitable organization, always check their ratings via a reputable site like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau.
Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a day that encourages people around the world to do good in various ways, according to the givingtuesday.org website. More than $2.47 billion was donated to charities, causes and other efforts in the U.S. during the 24-hour Giving Tuesday period in 2020, according to the organization, and 13% of the adult population donated by volunteering their time or voice, or by donating goods, skills or money.
Thepany’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
Source: Weather.com
