Local Help Heads to Hurricane Victims in Puerto Rico

An Owego man is among Red Cross volunteers in the Southern Tier and elsewhere in New York being deployed to help people ravaged by three historic, back-to-back hurricanes.

Chuck Haupt and four others from the Western and Central New York Region headed to Puerto Rico to help in the relief efforts following Hurricane Maria.

At least 160 volunteers from the region have been sent to help with relief efforts in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Over a million overnight stays in emergency shelters have been provided along with close to four million meals and snacks and 1.3 million relief items for people in need.

The Red Cross needs financial donations to keep up the relief efforts.  Donations can be made at redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word: HARVEY, IRMA or MARIA to 90999 to make a ten-dollar donation.