Habitat for Humanity teams are readying their response as Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall as a major storm early Thursday in Florida's Tampa Bay area. Less than two weeks removed from Hurricane Helene's devastating impact on the U.S. Southeast, this storm will hit already vulnerable communities where Habitat works.

Those who wish to donate to Habitat's response for Hurricanes Helene and Milton can do so at habitat.org/hurricane-recovery.

"Families still picking up the pieces from Hurricane Helene last month are now bracing for another potentially deadly storm," said Adrienne Goolsby, Habitat for Humanity International's senior vice president, U.S. and Canada. "Habitat for Humanity's housing and recovery experts in the path of Hurricane Milton stand ready to begin rapid assessments of the storm's impact as soon as it is safe to do so. Our prayers are with every person affected by these disasters across the U.S. Southeast, and Habitat is committed to the years-long recovery effort that will follow."

Hurricane Milton is forecast to be at least a Category 3 storm when it makes landfall in Florida. According to the National Hurricane Center, damaging winds, a life-threatening storm surge, and heavy rainfall will combine to potentially create one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida.

Habitat for Humanity International's disaster response teams are actively supporting affiliates in the U.S. Southeast as they assess the impact of Hurricane Helene, which has damaged or destroyed at least 280,000 homes and counting, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. Habitat will fold the Hurricane Milton relief and recovery efforts into this response.  Given the forecast, local Habitat organizations in roughly 150 communities across six states will have been impacted by the two storms. Habitat's role will primarily be in the long-term recovery of disaster-stricken communities, following the immediate response. Long-term recovery is among the greatest challenges in disaster response and recovery, particularly as communities work to ensure the lower-income populations that Habitat serves are not left behind.