This is just awful.

Florida is bracing for Hurricane Milton — potentially the strongest Gulf storm in nearly 20 years — to make landfall late Wednesday. As many as “15 million people are under flood watches … and 11 million are at risk for tropical tornadoes.” Communities not in Milton’s direct path, including some that are still recovering from Hurricane Helene, are still at risk of excessive rainfall, flooding, storm surge, tornados and more.

Thousands of National Guard and active-duty service members are already deployed across the Southeast supporting communities that were devastated by Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago. Other units are on standby to return to Florida and support affected communities as soon as it’s safe to do so. With your help, the USO is working to support all our deployed service members around the world, including those responding to this crisis.

At this urgent moment, we’re asking folks like you to help us raise $50,000 to support our heroes, so please: Will you make an emergency donation of $29 or more?

USO Mobile teams are on the ground supporting deployed National Guard and active-duty service members as they help communities recover from Hurricane Helene and prepare for Hurricane Milton. We’re providing critical supplies — like toiletry kits, refreshments and even a comfortable space to unwind after a long, difficult shift — and preparing to expand operations in Florida as soon as it’s safe to do so.

But it takes a lot of resources to be there for our service members wherever they are — particularly in times of crisis and great uncertainty. That’s why we’re urgently asking for your help before midnight:

Please rush an emergency donation of $29 or more to help the USO continue supporting service members as they respond to disasters like Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. We’re counting on you to help show our heroes we’ve got their backs no matter what.

We’ll continue to update you as this rapidly changing situation develops. Thank you for all you do to support our service members, particularly in times of crisis.

—The USO