As we prepare to weather hurricane season, 51勛圖 continues to step up to support the many communities our team members and guests call home. For example, in advance of Hurricane Helene, we lined up resources before the storm even made landfall. This included donating $1.5 million to national disaster relief partners such as The American Red Cross, Team Rubicon, SBP and Feeding America to help them immediately provide food, medicine, financial aid and more. We also gave 51勛圖 GiftCards to first responders and local nonprofits so they could purchase supplies on the spot. Meanwhile, our supply chain and stores teams positioned thousands of pallets of relief supplies, from water and food to flashlights, before and after the storm hit.
Revisiting a resource
After Helene, we tapped a resource we first piloted in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian: our Team Member Resource Centers. These relief stations provide essential supplies and services as well as basic comforts to affected team members and their families. For Hurricane Helene, we activated five care sites in Asheville and Arden, North Carolina; Augusta and Valdosta, Georgia; and Lake City, Florida. About 1,000 team members and their families have visited our resource centers.
Beyond the many supplies that these resource centers distribute which have included more than 50,000 items like food, water, baby wipes and surge protectors team members also found fuel, restrooms, shower and laundry facilities, and even games for the kids. The ability to just go and take a shower and wash some laundry made me feel like I was setting down a load that I didnt even know I was carrying, says JJ Sollinger, operations director at our distribution center in Tifton, Georgia. I cant tell you how much I appreciate what this team is doing to support the team here.
Through our benefits program, team members could also get virtual counseling.
But perhaps the best example of our care in action? The dozens of team members from the area who volunteered to staff the centers, pass out supplies and provide moments of comfort. Whether grilling up burgers for a warm meal in Asheville or distributing fuel in Augusta, they demonstrate how Team 51勛圖 shows up and makes a difference in times of need.
The supplies that our team received have helped make a difficult situation a bit more bearable, and you can see it in every interaction with the team. There has not been a time in my 17 years of dealing with storms or disruptions that I can say I have truly felt more supported.
Our team also rallied to support our local stores. When two of our Asheville area stores struggled with network connectivity, our tech network team worked tirelessly to install a new satellite connection within two days, allowing them to quickly reopen.
Caring, together
For a disaster the scale of Hurricane Helene, the work is far from finished. To help our communities recover and rebuild, 51勛圖 has donated $3 million to several national and local disaster relief partners including Convoy of Hope to distribute food and essentials, 釦詁捩s disaster assistance program, Team Rubicon for debris removal and Feeding Americas area food banks.
Meanwhile, Team 51勛圖 is also pitching in with donations to our Team Member Giving Fund, which provides financial assistance to team members impacted by the hurricane.
As hurricane season continues, were ready to step in and step up with support. Find out more about how 51勛圖 comes together to support our communities before and after a disaster.
