Fort Liberty soldiers head to help Helene victims as groups collect donations in Cumberland County

FORT LIBERTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Sandhills community is pulling together to offer relief to those affected by Helene. Just hours ago, the Pentagon announced up to 1,000 soldiers from Fort Liberty are headed to the western part of the state to support the National Guard there.

The Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is sending soldiers from the 18th and 82nd Airborne Corps to help deliver food, water and other critical aid to people affected by Hurricane Helene.

Emily Morris, a senior at Appalachian State University who escaped Helene, said she's glad to see so much support being given to hurricane victims.

"I've been through hurricanes my entire life and still this is, this is the scariest hurricane I've ever been through," Morris said.

Morris said she is with her family in Hope Mills after she had to evacuate from Boone County. Her father, Cmdr. Jim Morris is from VFW 10630, one of dozens of veterans groups across the country collecting donations for Helene victims.

"Somebody very generously donated some chainsaws, which of course you know is vital to clean up the woods," Cmdr. Morris said.

He said each donation could have a major effect on those touched by the storm.

"It shows the generosity of the American people," Morris said.

Angela Tatum Malloy of Momma's Village is also gathering donations but is focusing on the needs of nursing moms who are struggling to safely feed their babies and small children.

"If they're in a place where they don't have electricity, they don't have running water, they're not able to sterilize those products. And so we want to make sure that they're getting the items that they need, they're getting the education they need to sterilize their bottles properly," Tatum Malloy said.

Cmdr. Edward Beard is also gathering supplies at VFW 6018 in Fayetteville.

"Even all the other states, they're jumping on the bandwagon. They're bringing stuff to Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina...It's just awesome. We're just glad that we could do this," he said.