Local relief headed to victims of Hurricane Matthew

REDMOND, Wash. — As Hurricane Matthew hits the East Coast of the United States, local organizations are already helping.

Bloodworks Northwest is sending a shipment of blood to Florida on Thursday afternoon. Not only will it be available to help the victims of Hurricane Matthew, but it will help make up for the drop in supply due to the inability to collect blood as the area prepared for Hurricane Matthew to make landfall.

Medical Teams International, which has an office and warehouse in Redmond, has relief workers already on the ground in Haiti helping victims. The relief organization had a team of 20 in Haiti helping with the cholera outbreak and devastation from the earthquake.  Now, they are working to access victims of the hurricane.

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According to Medical Teams International President and CEO Martha Newsome, the challenge right now is access. They are looking for help to lift supplies and medical workers into an area in southern Haiti cut off by a river. The hurricane destroyed the bridge.

Medical Teams International is focused on extreme need in Haiti, but will respond to areas in the US if necessary. They helped after Hurricane Katrina.

World Vision, based in Federal Way, launched a major response in Haiti. There are workers on the ground assessing damage.  World Vision is also prepared to distribute supplies in the Southeast United States if necessary. They are determining where it will be needed most as Hurricane Matthew moves up the coast.

Cox Media Group