A Day of Giving: Response from the Midlands

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — “Just the sheer diameter of the storm was enormous,” says Adrienne Bellinger, American Red Cross Columbia Region. It can be hard to look at the devastation in the Northeast. “Downed trees, debris everywhere… complete devastation in some areas,” says Bellinger. Still today nearly a week after the storm over 1 million people remain in the dark, others without food and water. But help is on the way through ABC’s ‘Day of Giving.’ “Finances are so critical right now, because couldn’t actually provide the materials, the clean-up kits, the supplies that we provide wihout the financial assistance,” says Bellinger. Donations started pouring in at 7:00 o’clock this morning on Good Morning America with plenty of star power manning the phones, hours later donations continue to pour in and you can still help. Text ABC to 90999 to give a $10 donation of any amount, go online to www.redcross.org to make a donation of any amoun, or donate by phone. But for some, like Stephen Nelson a USC student, the giving started last week. “There are a lot of students here who unfortunately will not have a house to go home to for Thanksgiving in a few weeks,” says Nelson. For that reason, USC students banded together to give. “We really need to stand by our fellow Gamecocks from the Northeast and stand0by our country during this time of need,” says Nelson. A need the American Red Cross and ABC hope you can help fulfill by giving.