Coast Guard Foundation activates disaster relief and response fund

An MH-60T Jayhawk Helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, evacuates residents from Rocky Point, North Carolina due to flooding caused by Hurricane Florence © Petty Officer 2nd Class Dustin Williams U.S. Coast Guard District 5

The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education and welfare of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced today the activation of its Disaster Relief and Response Fund. The activation is a result of reports from the Carolinas and Georgia that Coast Guard members living in affected areas suffered personal property loss, including damage to homes and vehicles, as a result of Hurricane Florence. Coast Guard units that responded to the storm will receive additional relief and response support to help boost morale and strengthen readiness following a long week of coordinating and facilitating rescues, port and waterway openings and maritime environmental response.

The Coast Guard Foundation has mobilized its supporter base to assist Coast Guard members and families impacted by natural disasters since 2005 when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. Most recently, the Foundation raised $1 million to support Coast Guard members impacted in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico following the 2017 hurricane season, and those affected by the wildfires and mudslides in California.

"The brave men and women of the Coast Guard operate at a constant state of readiness to immediately respond in times of tragedy," said Susan Ludwig, president, Coast Guard Foundation. "To complete these vital missions, they must be able to focus without distraction. Knowing that their own families are also in harm's way is a challenge that they do not need. Our Disaster Relief and Response Fund allows us to assist their families so they can focus on the task at hand."

The Coast Guard Foundation, in partnership with the Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association (CPOA), will immediately distribute relief support to those who qualify.

For more information on the Coast Guard efforts following Hurricane Florence, visit: coastguardfoundation.org/news/hurricane-florence-coast-guard-families-need-us.

To support the Disaster Relief and Response Fund, and relief efforts, please visit: www.coastguardfoundation.org/disaster-response.

To learn more about the Coast Guard Foundation, or to help support its work, please visit www.coastguardfoundation.org or call (860) 535-0786.