In response to the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey and the destruction of Hurricane Irma, WDIV-Local 4/ClickOnDetroit, Art Van Furniture and the American Red Cross Michigan Region will join forces to air an all-day telethon "Help 4 Hurricane Relief" that runs from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 12.
- CALL: 855-WDIV-HELP to make a donation
Hosted at the downtown Detroit studios of WDIV-Local 4, with an additional phone bank at the Warren location of Art Van Furniture, the telethon will feature firsthand accounts of Harvey’s impact on the nation’s fourth largest metropolitan area. WDIV-Local 4 reporter Nick Monacelli and a station crew have been reporting from the devastation in Houston for sister station KPRC since soon after Harvey began to flood neighborhoods.
“Television has the power to show in vivid images just how destructive a hurricane can be,” said Marla Drutz, Vice President and General Manager of WDIV-Local 4. “We’re proud that television will also allow generous metro Detroiters to help our fellow Americans recover and rebuild after so much catastrophic damage.”
Money collected will be donated to the American Red Cross relief efforts for hurricane devastation in Texas, and if needed, in Florida. Hurricane Irma is the second-strongest storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean, and has the entire state of Florida on high alert. The “Help 4 Hurricane Relief” telethon will conclude at 8 p.m.
“It is during times of difficulty and devastation when the human spirit shines the brightest,” said Kim Yost, President and CEO of Art Van Furniture. “On behalf of our 3,700 team members, Art Van Furniture plans to do everything we can to help families in need restore their lives.”
“The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey is being called the worst flooding disaster in U.S. history,” said Kimberly Burton, CEO of American Red Cross Michigan Region. “It’s important to rally together through efforts like the ‘Help 4 Hurricane Relief’ telethon.”
The American Red Cross response to Harvey is a massive, very costly undertaking. Tens of thousands of people are escaping the devastation in hundreds of Red Cross and community shelters, many having lost everything except what they could carry as they fled their flooded neighborhoods. The Red Cross continues to work around the clock to help thousands affected by Hurricane Harvey while preparing for potential additional damage in Florida from Hurricanes Irma and Jose.
Financial donations help the American Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Harvey. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.