Local families working to help loved ones impacted by Hurricane Helene

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Local families are doing all they can to help send resources to their loved ones who are impacted by Hurricane Helene.

"There are more than 1,000 disaster workers on the ground, 20 of those are from Central California," said Taylor Poisall with the American Red Cross in Fresno.

Poisall says the organization had roughly 70 different shelters open over the weekend.

"As we've seen, there have been massive road closures with infrastructure affected. Severe power outages, lack of cell service," Poisall explained.

Aerial footage show homes washing away, and neighborhoods under water.

Fresno resident Karen Yost's daughter, Kali, is in the disaster zone.

"I can't help her. That's what bothers me, I can't help her," said Yost.

Yost says two years ago her daughter, Kali, packed up her belongings and moved from the Tower District to Asheville, North Carolina.

"She said it was real bad, that's all she could say about it, it's real bad. During the storm, she sounded, the second time I spoke with her, she almost sounded like she was panicked," said Yost.

Yost says all of her belongings were destroyed as her apartment was left completely under water.

With her two cats, she drove hours away to be with family in Tennessee.

Yost believes her daughter may be out of work for months.

But she's not the only Central Valley parent worried about their child thousands of miles away.

"She did receive physical damage to her home. A little bit of flooding in the front. The power is out, no water at this time," said Visalia native Conrad Castro.

Castro's daughter, Salina is a veteran, she severed eight years in the army, and did three tours overseas.

She settled in Georgia where she is raising her two daughters alone and working as a cook at a veteran's hospital.

"She's still showing up to work but very limited what they're doing there as far as back up generators," said Castro.

Castro says Salina is staying with friends in South Carolina and commuting about 40 minutes each day to go to work.

"She's strong willed. she would tell me not to worry, dad. She's independent, hard-working, very proud of her," said Castro.

The American Red Cross is looking for volunteers to help with the Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.

GoFundMe accounts have been set up to help Yost and Castro's daughters.

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