In the wake of Hurricane
Milton’s catastrophic destruction, after it struck a wide swath of the state
of Florida yesterday, Norwegian
Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) has committed to donating a total of
$80,000 to the American Red Cross to help support communities impacted by both Hurricanes
Milton and Helene.
The cruise company
had already donated $30,000 to the Red Cross to assist victims of Hurricane
Helene, which wreaked similar havoc earlier this month. Now, NCLH has vowed to
match up to $50,000 in public donations explicitly directed to aid Hurricane
Milton relief efforts. In supporting the Red Cross specifically, NCLH aims to
supply immediate relief to impacted communities in the aftermath of the devastating
storms.
Hurricane Milton
hit Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday as a a Category 3 storm severely
affecting major metropolitan areas such as Tampa, Fort Myers and Orlando. The
violent storm brought 120
mph winds, torrential rains, storm surges leading to widespread flooding
and tornadoes to the Sunshine State, leaving millions of residents without
power on Thursday. This fresh disaster follows closely upon the heels of the
devastation wrought by Hurricane
Helene, which also impacted Florida and multiple other southern U.S. states
along the Gulf Coast.
“For decades,
Florida has been home to NCLH, and we feel deeply connected to this community,”
Harry Sommer, president and CEO at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, said in a
statement. “Seeing the devastation in our own backyard and neighboring states
has been heartbreaking. ‘Strengthening Our Communities’ is a key pillar of our
global Sail & Sustain program, and we are committed to helping those in
need. Our donation to the American Red Cross is focused on providing direct
relief, helping families rebuild their lives and regain a sense of stability
and hope as they recover.”
The American Red
Cross, along with its partner organizations, has been at the forefront of the
recovery efforts, providing essential services to those impacted by the
back-to-back storms. Following Hurricane Helene, disaster workers toiled
tirelessly to set up shelters, and distribute food and emergency supplies to
affected individuals. In preparation for Hurricane Milton, the organization
sheltered over 83,000 people in safe locations where they could ride out the
storm.
“With Hurricane
Milton following closely in Hurricane Helene’s wake, the American Red Cross is
on the ground helping families recover from these vicious storms,” said Anne
McKeough, chief development officer at the American Red Cross. “We’re thankful
to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings for standing with us to provide help and hope
as communities begin to navigate the long road to recovery.”
Those wishing to join
NCLH in supporting the hurricane victim relief efforts can donate here to the
American Red Cross to have their donation matched by the cruise company, and
help it reach the $50,000 goal.
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