OMAHA, Neb. -- American Red Cross volunteers from Nebraska continue to deploy to support people affected by Hurricane Ian. As of Saturday morning, 11 trained disaster workers from Nebraska have stepped up to help provide care and comfort to families and individuals who are picking up the pieces from the devastating storm.

Additionally, Red Cross emergency response vehicles from Omaha and North Platte have been deployed to the impacted region. These vehicles join dozens of others from around the country in delivering tens of thousands of ready-to-eat meals and cleanup supplies where it is safe to do so.

In total, around 1,300 trained Red Cross disaster workers are working around the clock to comfort and support people facing the devastation in Florida and hundreds more are helping across five other states from Georgia to Virginia. On Friday night, more than 3,700 people sought refuge in as many as 50 Red Cross and partner shelters across Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina. Volunteers are addressing the immediate needs of affected residents by providing a safe place to stay, meals, relief supplies, health services and emotional support.

Before the storm, the Red Cross mobilized 83 truckloads of cots, blankets and comfort kits, along with tens of thousands of relief supplies and emergency response vehicles were also pre-positioned across the area.

People interested in supporting those affected by Hurricane Ian can visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to donate or text the word IAN to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

In addition, with nearly a thousand blood and platelet donations going uncollected in hurricane impacted communities, the Red Cross urges individuals in unaffected areas of the country to schedule a blood donation appointment at RedCrossBlood.org to ensure lifesaving blood remains available for patients in impacted areas.