The Home Depot has activated its Hurricane Command Center to support its stores and customers as Hurricane Delta becomes the latest storm to threaten Gulf Coast states.
This year, the Hurricane Command Center will be virtual to prioritize safety and social distancing. More than 250 associates from the company’s merchandising, operations and supply chain teams are working around the clock to move truckloads of products to stores in Hurricane Delta’s path. Teams are prioritizing products like generators, flashlights, plywood and batteries.
Stores will remain open as long as it’s safe to do so.
“Our associates, customers and partners along the Gulf Coast have demonstrated their resiliency this year as they’ve faced several destructive hurricanes,” said Hector Padilla, president of the Southern Division of The Home Depot. “With Hurricane Delta forecast to hit some of the same areas, we’re praying for minimal impacts and are grateful for our associates and how they’re taking care of each other and our communities.”
Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate-led volunteer force, is building 600 disaster relief kits in Birmingham, Ala. and Moultrie, Ga that will be transported to the Gulf region once the hurricane weakens.
The Home Depot Foundation and its nonprofit partners have been offering support to communities impacted by previous storms like Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Sally. So far, they have distributed more than 1,400 disaster relief kits throughout the affected areas. The Foundation also provided immediate donations to nonprofits to support critical needs.
The Home Depot Foundation works alongside Team Rubicon, Convoy of Hope, Operation Blessing, All Hands and Hearts, and ToolBank Disaster Services to support local communities with short-term relief and long-term rebuilding efforts.
"Our thoughts are with the communities that may be impacted by these two storms," said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. "We're working closely with our nonprofit partners to identify critical needs so we can provide immediate support.”
The Homer Fund, Home Depot’s employee assistance program, is also ready to process grants for associates affected by the storm. In 2019, The Homer Fund gave more than $16 million to associates, including nearly $1 million to assist families affected by natural disasters.
