Local Red Cross director Dave Griffith will be in Fayetteville, North Carolina, to help victims in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.
He traveled there from Orlando, Florida, where he was first assigned.
"We were in Orlando because the initial thought was that Florida would take the brunt of the storm, but Georgia and the Carolinas got it," he said. "I told the Red Cross I would be available to go, and North Carolina is the point most in need."
Griffith said he'll be working with local and state officials to see what the Red Cross can do to help them. He said eight members of the Capital Area Chapter are working hurricane relief duty, with a total of 30 Red Cross volunteers from Missouri helping in the affected areas. He also said every available Red Cross emergency vehicle in the country will be involved in helping with relief efforts.
"Locally, we can't ask for donations until after Saturday, Oct. 15," Griffith said. "We are a United Way agency, and we are in what is known as a blackout time. We benefit from United Way funding, and to honor our relationship with them, we don't ask for donations until the campaign is over."
Griffith said monetary donations are always the best way to help those affected in such large disasters as hurricanes.
"We don't have ways to ship out goods, and although it may sound impersonal, writing a check is the best thing to do," he said. "We do honor the donor's intent on checks. If they mark on the memo line that it should be designated for hurricane Matthew relief, that's where the money will go. If they want to donate it to the local chapter, you can put disaster relief, and we can use the money where it's best needed."
Local donations can be mailed after Saturday to the Red Cross, 435 E. McCarty St., Jefferson City, 65101.