As Florida begins the long cleanup from Hurricane Milton and the remnants of Hurricane Helene, there are a number of ways to help those affected.

And if you need help after the storm, here’s what you should know.

Feeding Tampa Bay: Their disaster response team connects food banks with residents in need of hot meals and works directly with local emergency management forces to provide food, water and hygiene supplies in crisis situations. Donate at Feedingtampabay.org/ways-we-serve/disaster-relief.

City ministries: For those seeking local shelter, this local organization manages shelters for at-risk families in Tampa and plans to help secure food, shelter and supplies needed to restore life after Hurricane Milton. Go to metromin.org to see how you can help.

Bert Aid: Popular comedian Bert Kreischer, a Tampa native and grand marshal in this year’s Gasparilla Parade, had planned to host a benefit show for storm victims this weekend. The performance at Ruth Eckerd Hall, titled “Bert Aid,” has been rescheduled for Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. All tickets for the original performance will be accepted. Tickets can be found at bertbertbert.com.

Humane Society: Pet owners and animal lovers can contact the Humane Society of the United States, which works to secure the transportation of dogs and cats, keep them safe, and provide assistance to devastated animal shelters. humanesociety.org.

International Medical Corps: Emergency medical response teams were deployed to Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Working closely with the Florida Division of Emergency Management and local health care partners, they will provide medical assistance, including essential equipment and supplies, to Hurricane Milton survivors. Donate at internationalmedicalcorps.org/hurricanes-help.

GlobalGiving has launched the Hurricane Milton Relief Fund to address urgent needs for food, fuel, clean water and shelter. GlobalGiving is one of the top-rated charities in Charity Navigator. It is “committed to working with locally-led organizations to ensure assistance reaches the most affected communities quickly and effectively.” Once initial relief efforts are complete, this fund will shift to supporting longer-term recovery and resilience efforts led by local, verified organizations. See globalgiving.org/projects/hurricane-milton-relief-fund.

Florida Disaster Fund: The State of Florida’s official private fund distributes money to service organizations that assist in disaster relief and recovery throughout the state. You can donate online at volunteerflorida.org/donatefdf or mail a check. Checks can be mailed to: Volunteer Florida Foundation. Attn: Florida Disaster Fund. 1545 Raymond Diehl Road, Suite 250, Tallahassee, FL 32308.

United Way of Florida: This nonprofit organization organizes resources for people across the state and provides recovery support to those in need. Donations can be made online to the overall disaster relief fund or directed to specific counties in the state of Florida at uwof.networkforgood.com.

CAREA global organization working to end poverty is responding to Milton’s impact in Florida, including the Tampa Bay region, with emergency cash assistance to help families in underserved communities affected by the storm meet urgent needs such as food and water to help, emergency shelter, medicine and supplies. To support the hurricane response, visit care.org.

Project HOPE: Health Opportunities for People Everywhere is a non-governmental organization that provides health and humanitarian assistance to people around the world. It has a team of emergency experts and paramedics in Florida supporting search and rescue efforts and providing essential medical and humanitarian supplies to those affected by Hurricane Milton. Restricted donation link: www.projecthope.org/milton2024.

Additional resources: The Federal Emergency Management Agency says monetary donations to local organizations are the most effective way to support affected people and communities.

They recommend visiting the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster website for a comprehensive list of trusted organizations and additional information on how you can help.

If you’re still unsure about the best place to donate, use Charity Navigator, a resource that evaluates charities actively working to provide relief and recovery.

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