Here's how you can help people in the path of Hurricane Ian

Chris O'Meara/AP

Workers from Specialized Performance Delivered 24:7 board up the windows on the historical Henry B. Plant Hall on the campus of the University of Tampa ahead of Hurricane Ian Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. Ian is predicted to make landfall somewhere on Florida's west coast. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

By: WRTV Staff

INDIANAPOLIS — Several organizations from central Indiana are responding and readying to assist Florida as Hurricane Ian making landfall.

Some organizations, like the American Red Cross, are asking for help as they head south.

Hurricane Ian is in the Gulf of Mexico and reached top winds of 155 mph Wednesday morning.

Tropical Weather — This GOES-East GeCcolor satellite image taken at 9:56 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, and provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), shows Hurricane Ian passing over western Cuba. Hurricane Ian tore into western Cuba on Tuesday as a major hurricane, with nothing to stop it from intensifying into a catastrophic Category 4 storm before it hits Florida, where officials ordered 2.5 million people to evacuate before it crashes ashore Wednesday.

The hurricane made landfall on Wednesday.

Organizations responding to the area include:

Indiana Task Force 1: More than 50 members of Indiana Task Force 1 are headed to Alabama where they will stage and respond to Florida once they are needed.
American Red Cross: More than a dozen volunteers from the Indiana Region are responding to Florida ahead of Hurricane Ian. Some are responding to Puerto Rico to help with diaster relief after Hurricane Fiona.
Duke Energy: Several employees, including 137 from the Indiana service area, headed down south on Monday. The first crew made it to Georgia and is continuing on to Florida.
Midwest Food Bank: The Foodbank is sending dozens of pallets of food on a semi to Illinois. There is will be made into care packages and taken Florida as soon as it is safe.

Here's how you can help.

In addition to making a donation, the American Red Cross is asking for volunteers to join its disaster action team.

Volunteers help provide emotional support, financial assistance and information to help families start to recover. Those interested can sign up and learn more online.

The Red Cross is also encouraging people who are able to donate blood and live in an area unaffected by the storm to help ensure the Red Cross has a sufficient blood supply.

The Midwest Food Bank is always looking for volunteers and donators to make their mission of helping those in need of sustainance.