ATLANTA — Home Depot employees joined the “Southeast Strong” effort to assist storm victims by packing disaster kits for those affected by the Helene flood. The team might repeat the process if survivors in Milton require similar help.

Employees began Thursday morning working in shifts to assemble kits. The process involved picking up a bucket, moving down the line to collect trash bags, disinfectant, and other necessary supplies.

The completed kits were then loaded onto three tractor trailers set to hit the road the same day.

Over 400 workers helped fill a total of 5,000 disaster relief kits, showcasing the heartfelt effort made by those in Georgia. The kits, packed with care, were placed on pallets before being loaded onto trucks.

“Just with all the disasters that have been happening, we have run out of the kits,” said Erin Izen, Executive Director of The Home Depot Foundation.

The Home Depot Foundation had already distributed 3,600 kits earlier this week following Helene, but more are still required specifically for flood victims’ needs.

“So it’s PPE, the masks in case there’s mold, there’s cleaning supplies, there’s trash bags…just things from our stores that we know people need the most,” said Izen.

Partner organization Convoy of Hope has been actively involved on the ground for over a week.

“First-hand seeing how homes are washed out, starting to clean up, this is going to be a huge asset to them,” said Eric Gordon from Convoy of Hope.

One truckload of relief kits is destined for the Big Bend area of Florida, while two others will head to the mountains of North Carolina. The routes are expected to be mostly clear.

“But we figure out ways in all the time, even cutting our way in at times. But we’ll do whatever it takes to get supplies in to where they’re needed,” Gordon stated.

These kits are set to arrive Thursday night and ready for distribution in the morning. The team is prepared to send more if needed, especially with the possibility of additional aid for Milton’s victims.

“Home Depot is here for the long haul, so we’ll do whatever we need to do to take care of these communities,” said Izen.

Convoy of Hope confirmed that they have assessment teams on the ground in Florida following Milton’s impact and are ready to partner with Home Depot again if necessary.