The images of the two latest hurricanes, Harvey and Irma, are heart-breaking. Getting over this kind of traumatic experience is unimaginable for those of us who have never encountered this. I have been a Red Cross volunteer since 1999 and been part of the aftermath of hurricanes, floods and fires to help clients many times all over the U.S.

The Red Cross deploys thousands of volunteers to these disasters and is able to do this thanks to the generosity of our donors, the American people. Ninety-one percent of donations go to disaster relief.

Recently I was deployed for the devastating floods in Chicago in July. Most of us here have not even heard of that calamity. I made some 475 calls to affected persons and the stories are/were just heart-breaking. It seems like the poorest people already living from paycheck to paycheck that are affected. I was so fortunate to have neighbors in Fountain Hills who know I do this work, to contact me and asked how they could help. And help they did! Just amazing. Thank you, thank you!

FEMA was supposed to help, but their budget is depleted, leaving thousands of people without recourse to repair their living spaces in basements that were flooded by 6-8 feet of sewage water.

My shoutout here is to all of us good people to think of our fellow Americans, who will be trying to get their lives, back and donate whatever amount you are able to.

You can go to redcross.org, click on donate, and then click on the disaster you would like to donate to: Harvey, Irma or both.

Thank you, thank you, for those who need a helping hand.