As the holiday season approaches, recovery efforts for hurricane Helene are still ongoing in western North Carolina.

As Category 4 Hurricane Ida makes landfall in Louisiana as one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the U.S., God’s Pit Crew is stepping in to help.

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Folks in Louisiana are still cleaning up from the damage caused by Hurricane Laura. Almost two dozen God’s Pit Crew volunteers have spent the past several days on the ground in Lake Charles, Louisiana. A God’s Pit Crew employee who is currently in Louisiana said dealing with a disaster in a pandemic is overwhelming for these hurricane victims. Click here if you would like to donate to help God’s Pit Crew.

DANVILLE, Va. – God’s Pit Crew volunteers are gearing up to head to Lake Charles, Louisiana to help Hurricane Laura victims. They’re expected to leave Danville Friday at 6 a.m. to clean up debris. About 20 people have signed up to be part of the first crew dispatched south. The founder of God’s Pit Crew, Randy Johnson, said sending the tool and equipment trucks can be a Godsend for those with no way to get trees and limbs off their homes. The nonprofit needs donations for their “blessing buckets” since they’ve already sent out 70 semi-truck loads of relief due to COVID-19 and other natural disasters this year.

Crews will work on Varner Lane, between Short Street and Preston Street starting at 8 a.m. Senator Tim Kaine will talk with the Community Foundation of the New River Valley about child care. He will also hold a roundtable discussion at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, talking with school leaders about COVID-19 impacts. Gods Pit Crew holds a virtual collection drive today and tomorrow. Roanoke Childrens Theatre presents Jack and the Wonder Beans. Because of COVID-19, they cant hold performances in a traditional setting, so they are going outside.

In the final week of Food for Frontline, Gods Pit Crew volunteers were treated as they continued to work around the clock. It has been about as crazy as crazy could be, said Randy Johnson, Gods Pit Crew founder. Typically, Gods Pit Crew runs on hundreds of volunteers. Were really happy to prepare all the stuff and really happy to cook the food for the people, said Vincenzo Badalamenti, whose family owns Joe & Mimmas. People have been good to us, so were really happy about that.Joe & Mimmas staff unloaded the meals at the Gods Pit Crew warehouse and wheeled them in to the breakroom.

ROANOKE, Va. Roanoke City Public Schools now has more money to help the districts homeless students. An anonymous woman donated her entire $1,200 coronavirus stimulus check to Roanoke City Public Schools Help the Homeless" fund. There are 545 homeless students this school year, according to the district. The donor has requested the money be used to put together snack packs for the students. So were looking down the road, when resources or donations start to, maybe, become an issue," said Roanoke City Schools communication director Justin McLeod.