How to help the people affected by the Mississippi tornadoes

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is coordinating state and local rescue and recovery efforts following deadly storms in the Mississippi Delta region.

Recovery work is now under way in Georgia following apparent tornadoes that struck Sunday in Troup County and Milledgeville. The American Red Cross has opened shelters in both of the Georgia communities.

For those looking for ways to assist in charitable and humanitarian help, the most immediate help can be provided by monetary donations to the disaster assistance programs of the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

Donate to the Red Cross at redcross.org or by phone 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669). Local Red Cross chapters can be found via American Red Cross of Alabama and Mississippi, including links on how to find help.

Donate to the Salvation Army at www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). Information about local services of the Salvation Army can be found on the Jackson, Miss. chapter page.

GoFundMe, the community fundraising portal, has created central landing page, Mississippi Tornadoes Centralized Hub, to help people find verified community fundraisers on its site. Go to gofundme.com and tap the Mississippi Tornadoes link.

Save the Children said on Saturday it is mobilizing, along with state and local partners, to provide relief supplies to children and families such as water, food, diapers and hygiene kits. Monetary donations are being accepted to its Children’s Emergency Fund by clicking the donate button at SavetheChildren.org.

If you are asked to contribute to another tornado-relief cause, be careful to make sure it’s a legitimate charity with the resources to provide help. GoFundMe has some tips for donors with questions to ask at support.gofundme.com. You can also look to see if they charity is listed on charity rating sites such as charitynavigator.org or give.org.

For those in need of assistance, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is updating a list of shelters and other resources. The agency is also updating storm recovery information on its Twitter and Facebook pages.