BOTHELL, Wash. — Hundreds of volunteers from throughout the country are helping where they're needed, providing relief aid and services to those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
One of those volunteers is a woman from Bothell.
"I just really feel the need to serve when people are going to be badly affected, I just cannot standby," said Deb Phelps.
Phelps, 71, is helping those impacted by storm, which brought flooding and severe winds.
"Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people have been impacted by destroyed homes,” said Phelps. “No electricity, no way to get food. We're providing shelter and food, and Red Cross provides hope."
This Bothell resident has been providing hope with the American Red Cross for the past seven years after she retired from a career as a mid-wife with Kaiser.
During her time volunteering, she's gone on more than 30 missions. The current stint in Tallahassee, Florida, marking her 38th mission.
"Several wildfires in California and Washington,” said Phelps. “I've been in floods in Texas and other parts of the country. I was at the typhoon in Guam, the big wildfire in Lahani, Hawaii."
Phelps said she arrived in Florida on Sept. 24 and plans on serving for the next two to three weeks. During this mission Phelps said she’s supervising dozens of people, including nurses, chaplains, mental health professionals and the recovery workers who assist people after the disaster.
According to Red Cross Northwest, Phelps is one of 15 volunteers from the Pacific Northwest stationed throughout the southeast region of the country which was impacted the most by the hurricane.
The organization expects more volunteers from the Pacific Northwest to travel down in the coming weeks to provide support. Phelps urges others to consider donating and supporting agencies helping those through this natural disaster.
"Keep us, the state of Florida, and all the people impacted in your thoughts and prayers,” said Phelps. “I know that's such a cliché but please don't let us just drop out of the news cycle and we're down here really trying to serve."