Help is needed in Florida asHurricane Ianbears down on the state as one of the strongest storms to hit the U.S. in recent history.

Hurricane Ian became a Category 4 storm early Wednesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center, and is on thethreshold of reaching Category 5 statusshortly before making landfall in Florida.

Forecasters say catastrophic wind damage and significant rainfall will impact much of the state, while portions of Florida’s Gulf Coast could see an 18-foot storm surge.

National Weather Service director Ken Graham warned of Hurricane Ian’s potential impacts at aFEMA press conferenceon Wednesday.

“This is a storm we are going to talk about for many years to come,” Graham said.

ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty

Cubans repair a roof in San Juan y Martinez, Pinar del Rio Province, on September 27, 2022 after the passage of Hurricane Ian. - Powerful Hurricane Ian left a trail of destruction after battering western Cuba on Tuesday, while Florida battened down in preparation for a dangerous direct hit as the strengthening storm churns north.

Red Cross

“Your gift is a commitment to helping people in need,” the organization says, “and every single donation matters.”

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The Covenant House

The Covenant House, which has locations in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, is also accepting donations for its response to Hurricane Ian, noting that “immediate support” is needed, according to itswebsite.

“Emergency protocols are in effect for Covenant House sites in Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando,” saidthe non-profit organization, which assists “young people experiencing homelessness and trafficking.”

JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty

Jontau Hines (R) and Theresa Galluzzo fill up sand bags in Edgewater, Florida, on September 27, 2022, as eastern coast of central Florida braces for Hurricane Ian. - The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Ian made landfall just southwest of the town of La Coloma, Cuba, at about 4:30 am local time (0830 GMT). The hurricane was packing maximum sustained winds of 125 miles (205 kilometers) per hour, the NHC said, making it a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

World Central Kitchen

ChefJosé Andrés' announced Tuesday on Twitter that his non-profit World Central Kitchen hasopened two main kitchensin Tampa and Gainesville, and that he and his partners are “ready to make as many meals as necessary during the next days and weeks.”

“People of Florida,” Andrés wrote Tuesday, “you will not face this alone!”

Andrés' organization alsotweeted a videoof teams preparing “hundreds of sandwiches” for Floridians, which they hope to distribute “as soon as the storm passes.”

Donations can be made to the organization through itswebsite.

American Humane Society

Hurricane Ian is also threatening the lives of pets and other animals. The American Humane Society is looking to assist animals in need, and is requesting donations to help them do so, according to itswebsite.

“In the rush to prepare for this storm, we mustn’t forget about our pets, who also need disaster preparation,” the society said.

Florida Disaster Fund

This private relief fund aims to “assist Florida’s communities as they respond to and recover during times of emergency or disaster,” according to itswebsite.

“The Florida Disaster Fund distributes funds to service organizations that will serve individuals within their communities with disaster response and recovery,” the page says.

Donations can be made via check or the fund’s website. You can also text “DISASTER” to 20222 to make a $10 donation.

GARY BOGDON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

A truck drives through a flooded highway ramp following Hurricane Ian, in Orlando, Florida, USA, 29 September 2022. Hurricane Ian came ashore as Category 4 hurricane according to the National Hurricane Center and is nearing an exit into the Atlantic Ocean on the East Coast of Florida. Damage after Hurricane Ian swept through Florida, Orlando, USA - 29 Sep 2022

Convoy of Hope

The international non-profit organization has sent a caravan of people from its World Distribution Center in Missouri to assist in the response following Hurricane Ian, itswebsitesays.

The convoy will come with both supplies and equipment “to provide relief” to the affected communities, according to aposton its Instagram page.

You can donate to Convoy of Hope’s Crisis Relief Fund on its website.

Feeding Tampa Bay

Feeding Tampa Bay is looking for both donations and volunteers as it aids in the response to Hurricane Ian.

“Your support helps us to provide hot meals for today, groceries for tomorrow, and sustainability for a lifetime,” thesitesays.

Donations can be madehere, and volunteers can sign up for shiftshere.

source: people.com