What Coachella Valley residents can do to help those affected by Hurricane Ian

According to the American Red Cross nearly 13,000 people trying to escape Hurricane Ian spent the night in hundreds of their shelters across Florida.

Over 500 Red Cross volunteers nationwide have been dispatched to Florida which includes 5 Riverside County-based volunteers. The Riverside County Emergency Department says there are things you can do to help those in need from home.

The Riverside County EMD team has provided support during local disasters like the recent Fairview Fire and even those at a national scale like Hurricane Katrina.

The Riverside County EMD says that donated material goods like clothing, food and water often become a maintenance issue for those on the ground of the disaster.

“They're going to have to find a way to receive them, they're going to have to store them. If it's clothing, it's going to have to be cleaned and prepped and then sorted. It really requires a lot of effort to be able to do that. And some of the things may not even be needed," said Shane Reichardt, PIO for Riverside County EMD.

The Riverside County EMD and the Red Cross say the best way to provide aid to those in need is to donate money to non-governmental organizations. These organizations can spend the funds to meet the direct needs of impacted communities.

In addition to donating money to non-profit organizations, the Red Cross says volunteering is another meaningful way to help those affected by the hurricane.

For more information on how you can get involved with the American Red Cross, email  christopher.fielder@redcross.org or call (951) 264-7730.