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DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — Many Alabamians say they’re ready to help those impacted by the storm. From making room for evacuees to utility crews and volunteer organizations headed to the disaster zone, efforts to help are just getting started.

Project Unify is a group based in Decatur that travels to areas affected by natural disasters. The group is now preparing to hit the road to help. That’s along with a handful of local utility companies whose linemen will be crucial to restoring power. People are hunkered down in Florida as Hurricane Ian rolls through.

Volunteer organizations from north Alabama including Project Unify are on standby ready to help.

“The first group leaves on Sunday,” said Cody Michael with Project Unify. “They will be taking a lot of the water that’s behind me they will be taking the skid steerer for clean up.”

Meanwhile, Huntsville and Fayetteville Utilities have crews standing by to deploy ready to help restore power. Michael said they will help feed those crucial workers.

“Our group that goes down on Sunday is taking snacks like grab-and-go things to help the linemen. Because the restaurants are closed. Where are they going to eat?” Michael continued.

News 19 spoke with one woman who evacuated from Clearwater to Brandon.

“I live in clearwater and I live on the water. The back of my yard is Tampa Bay. I live on the third floor so I’m quite a ways up,” says Pamela Griffin.

Griffin says she’s hopeful that when she gets back home everything will be okay.

“My friends are there,” Griffin explained. “They say they still have power and they live a little inland. They still have power, water internet, everything.”

But not everyone will be as fortunate. That’s why the work of groups like Project Unify is so important.

“We’ve seen so many kids in Louisiana that get crazy excited over a bottle of Gatorade because they’ve been drinking bottles of water for the last two weeks,” said Michael.

Michael said if you want to help, every item donated to Project Unify will make it to the hands of people in need.

“Watching just the morale of people rebuild their hope because of what we are able to do from north Alabama is huge,” said Michael.

The convention and visitors bureau says Huntsville and Madison County has plenty of hotel rooms available for anyone evacuating or needing a place to stay after the storm.

For more information, contact Project Unify at 256-353-4256 or wearedecaturcoc@gmail.com.