Hurricane Milton

Active

2024

North America

Disaster Response. Step One. Get There.

Are you able to pitch in a few dollars to sponsor a flight for a responder today?

Every little bit helps Airlink mobilize urgently needed responders!

Our Impact

NGO partners supported

Responders sent

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Situation Overview

Hurricane Milton made landfall on September 9th near Sarasota, Florida, as a devastating Category 3 storm, causing extensive damage to homes. At least 16 lives have been lost. The hurricane brought life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds along the west coast of Florida, as well as heavy rainfall to parts of east and central Florida. Particularly concerning is that Milton struck communities still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Helene just days earlier, further complicating recovery efforts. The compounding effects of back-to-back storms are placing immense strain on resources, making timely support and coordinated responses more critical than ever. Millions are now left without power.

Airlink’s Role: Overcoming Logistical Hurdles For NGOs

At Airlink, we’re committed to quickly surging support for local communities by deploying our partners with diverse expertise, from debris removal to child care. Each organization specializes in a key area of disaster response, and all are equally needed to enhance assistance for families who might otherwise go without help. Leveraging our logistics expertise, we emphasize best practices in disaster and hurricane response. Currently, we recommend not sending aid items unless coordinated directly with organizations that have the capacity to receive and sort donations, as this helps avoid overwhelming local resources.

We are helping our partners reach the airports they need to access. Our flight and financial support empower organizations to respond to multiple hurricanes and other humanitarian crises around the world, enabling them to sustain their programs and provide longer-term assistance. Many of our partners are actively responding to Hurricane Helene while also adapting their efforts to address multiple hurricanes and other urgent needs globally.

Humanitarian Needs

We are committed to supporting residents affected by home damage, food insecurity, and debris clearance while also focusing on long-term recovery efforts. Our sponsored relief personnel will offer targeted assistance, including muck-and-gut services, tree removal, tarping, cleanup, temporary shelters, and the distribution of essential non-food items. Our initial supported partners will concentrate on search and rescue operations and surge healthcare support in the Tampa area.

How You Can Help

Will you help us provide travel for urgently needed humanitarian personnel?

A coordinated response that delivers effective and appropriate aid is crucial. Despite well-intentioned efforts by individuals and companies to arrange private donations and giving drives, many supplies end up being unsuitable for the region, unused, and causing strain and congestion on local communities. As much as 60% of aid is often wasted. This is especially critical for responses involving smaller island communities, where overwhelming local resources can have severe consequences.

What sets Airlink apart is our strategic approach to disaster response. We collaborate with a vetted network of over 200 NGOs to carefully assess each request for aid movement. Our expertise in logistics and our strong partnerships with airlines allow us to transport aid efficiently and effectively, minimizing waste and maximizing impact.

Your donation is vital in ensuring a timely and effective response. Your support not only helps us respond to Hurricane Milton but also prepares us for the entire 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Every contribution makes a difference—please consider donating today to support communities in crisis and help us deliver the right aid to the right place at the right time.