In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which left parts of North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee completely devastated, the Federal Emergency Management Agency failed to provide stranded Americans with basic needs. On Christmas, many towns are still struggling to get by with residents sleeping in tents.
My buddy Dave sent some photos from a visit this week to North Carolina and Tennessee. People are still in very bad shape.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) December 5, 2024
“I just got back from a 30 hour journey, 1000+ miles to Erwin, TN and Ashville, NC. This is a war zone and help is so needed.
With Biden giving $1B to… https://t.co/Qkb7QoUI3b pic.twitter.com/yyyFON8dAr
When it became evident in September that the federal government was failing to adequately respond, President-elect Donald Trump launched a GoFundMe page for hurricane victims.
"President Trump announced over $8 million in donations for victims of Hurricane Helene raised through his dedicated GoFundMe. As reported by Fox Business, President Trump’s Hurricane Helene relief was the top fundraiser on GoFundMe in 2024, and supported nearly 50,000 people across all 50 states and more than 50 countries. These funds were distributed to charities including Samaritan's Purse, Water Mission, Mtn2Sea, the Clinch Foundation, and Sweetwater Mission to uplift impacted families and communities," the Trump transition team released in a statement.
"Amidst several trips and briefings to evaluate the devastation, President Trump took action to provide relief for Americans in desperate need of the government assistance they did not receive," the statement continues. "This was not only a testament to President Trump’s promise to put America First, but Americans’ willingness to come together and help one another. Alongside President Trump, Americans across the country united to provide relief for these victims and their families."
As noted, it was the largest GoFundMe total of 2024.
