Dear Friend,

Just days after Hurricane Helene devastated communities from the Gulf to the Appalachian Mountains, Hurricane Milton hit Florida's heavily-populated Gulf coast. Millions of people are without power. The Gulf Coast barrier islands are flooded. Tornadoes generated by the hurricane destroyed dozens of homes and killed at least four people. The devastation is hard to comprehend.

The climate crisis affects all of us, but the impacts are not felt equally. What would you do if you were told to evacuate, but you couldn't afford to? What if gas stations were out of fuel? What if your home flooded, and insurance refused to pay? Our most vulnerable communities are facing the greatest risk and will have the hardest time rebuilding. 

Even worse? The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other relief agencies are running low on disaster response funds needed to help people across the Southeast recover.

The Biden-Harris Administration has requested $27 million in disaster funding. But instead of fulfilling this urgent need, House Speaker Mike Johnson is refusing to allow Congress to return until November 12, leaving families in hard-hit areas across North and South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, and Virginia without adequate resources.

Tell Congress to return to the Capitol immediately and fund disaster relief!

These rapidly intensifying, back-to-back storms are not random weather events. Corporate polluters like Exxon knew in the 1970s – 50 years ago – that burning coal, oil, and gas would cause catastrophic consequences like the ones we're living through right now. 

Warmer ocean temperatures fuel stronger hurricanes. The science is clear that climate change is causing storms like these to be more destructive, more frequent, and more deadly. And we need to be prepared. We need to save as many lives as possible and help families, many who have lost everything, recover and rebuild. 

Tell your elected officials to pass disaster relief funding.

If you would like to directly support the communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, take a look at our support guide for a list of trusted, on-the-ground organizations offering assistance.

Thank you for your advocacy and your support. 

Sierra Club Action Team