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Hurricane Helene left a path of death and destruction nearly 1,000 miles long from Florida to Tennessee. The Category 4 storm made landfall in Florida on Thursday, and that was only the beginning of what officials are calling the storm an "unprecedented tragedy." More than 110 people are dead and 600 people are unaccounted for, according to statements from White House officials on Monday.
Also on Monday, officials with the League of Southeastern Credit Unions (LSCU) and the Southeastern Credit Union Foundation (SECUF) announced the organizations began delivering relief to impacted credit unions, the staffs and communities.
In a statement, LSCU and SECUF teams began preparing for the Hurricane Helene "days ahead" of the storm to gather items needed for the relief efforts. Relief deliveries from LSCU And SECUF began "as soon as conditions subsided."
"Our hearts are with all those affected by Hurricane Helene. In moments like these, we see the true power of the 'people helping people' movement," Samantha Beeler, LSCU's president, said. "Credit unions are more than just financial institutions – they are a lifeline for members, and right now, that means offering whatever support possible to help our communities rebuild and recover."
According to SECUF, team members have deployed supplies to some of the affected areas across Florida and Georgia. The supplies include food, water and baby formula, as well as "mobile branches to help restore critical services in the affected areas."
A Disaster Relief Fund, run by SECUF, has been set up for these types of emergencies. According to LSCU and SECUF officials, many credit union employees have been directly impacted by the hurricane. It's unclear at this time, how many credit union employees that might be.
SECUF Executive Director Bobbi Grady said, "We've seen time and time again that these storms have the power to destroy not just buildings, but livelihoods. Whether it's getting a staff member the insulin they need when their power is out or helping a family find temporary shelter, the Disaster Relief Fund truly saves lives. Every donation makes a direct impact, offering hope to those who need it most."
To contribute to the Disaster Relief Fund, donations can be made by visiting this website.
Also on Monday, the Winston Salem, N.C.-based Allegacy Federal Credit Union ($2.2 billion in assets, 178,089 members) announced a $10,000 donation to help with recovery and relief efforts.
Allegacy donated $5,000 to the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation's Disaster Relief Fund and an additional $5,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina's Hurricane Helene Response to assist credit unions and communities in need.
"We stand in solidarity with our neighboring communities impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Helene. Though the road to recovery may be challenging, we believe in the resilience of these communities and are honored to contribute to the rebuilding efforts with these gifts to the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation and Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina," Nathanael Tarwasokono, Allegacy's president/CEO, said. "Our hearts are with all those affected, and we encourage others to join us in supporting those in need."
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Michael Ogden
Editor-in-Chief at CU Times. To connect, email at [email protected]. As Editor-in-Chief of CU Times since 2016, Michael Ogden has led the editorial team in all aspects of content strategy and execution, including the creation of the publication’s exclusive and proprietary research database of the credit union industry’s economic landscape. Under Michael’s leadership, CU Times has successfully shifted to an all-digital editorial product with new focuses on the payments, fraud, lending and regulatory beats. Most recently, he introduced a data-focused editorial product for subscribers that breaks down credit union issues into hard data, allowing for a deeper and more factual narrative for readers. In 2024, he launched the "Shared Accounts With CU Times" podcast, which offers a fresh, inside-the-newsroom perspective through interviews with leaders from the credit union industry and the regulatory world. He dives into pressing credit union issues, while revealing the personalities working behind-the-scenes to push the credit union world forward. His background includes years as a radio and TV anchor/reporter and a public relations and digital/social media manager, where he covered the food and music industries, as well as cooperatives and credit unions. Over the years, he has launched numerous exclusive video and podcast series, including a successful series of interactive backstage interviews with musicians at music festivals, showcasing his social media and live streaming production skills.
