WASHINGTON − Former President Donald Trump’s fundraiser to benefit victims of Hurricane Helene has raised almost $3 million as of Tuesday afternoon.

It was set up on GoFundMe by Meredith O’Rourke, a high-profile political fundraiser from Tallahassee who is also national finance director for Trump’s campaign.

She organized a similar page this summer for victims of the shooting at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.   

More: Top Florida GOP fundraiser launches GoFundMe for Trump rally shooting victims

Trump’s campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung confirmed to USA TODAY that the GoFundMe page is legitimate and authorized by the former president. 

O’Rourke has been a top fundraiser for Republicans for decades, including for Rick Scott’s and former Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam’s campaigns for governor. She also did a short stint in 2015 for former N.J. Gov. Chris Christie’s run for president.

The latest fundraiser has received over 16,000 donations, with $500,000 alone from former Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, according to its page, and another half-million dollars from real estate investor Steve Witkoff, a Trump friend and supporter.

“All donations will be directed to help those most affected by Hurricane Helene,” the page reads. “Any level of generosity will go a long way for your fellow Americans who are suffering.”

Hurricane Helene, which had ravaged southeastern states including North Carolina and Florida, left more than 100 dead and millions without power. More than 30 inches of rain were recorded in some areas of western North Carolina, with houses and communities swept away. 

President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit North Carolina on Wednesday, and Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s rival for the presidency, is also planning a visit to the disaster area. Harris received a briefing at FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Monday.

“Over the past few days, our nation has endured some of the worst destruction and devastation that we have seen in quite some time,” she said. “And we have responded with our best, with the best folks who are on the ground.” 

A version of this story first appeared on USA TODAY. Contributing: Joey Garrison, David Jackson, John Bacon, Sarah Honosky and Jim Rosica.

Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said its teams are responding to reports of stranded manatees after Hurricane Helene ripped through the state last week.

Helene made landfall in Florida’s panhandle as a Category 4 storm last Tuesday night, bringing with it heavy rainfall, high winds and flooding that also struck other Southeastern states. As of Tuesday, the death toll from Helene had reached 159, the Associated Press reported, as search and rescue operations continue throughout hard-hit states.

The storm has also wreaked havoc on the wildlife caught in its path. The FWC said in a post to its social media accounts on Monday that its biologists were working to rescue manatees—a protected animal under Florida state law—that were beached.

“Manatees can become stranded during rough weather conditions, such as a hurricane or tropical storm,” the FWC said Monday in a post on its Facebook page.

It added in its post, “While our top priority has been to help residents and visitors of Florida recover from the impacts of Helene, we are also working swiftly to rehabilitate and conserve these gentle giants.”

Images of rescued manatees were shared by the FWC on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday afternoon.

Manatees are native to Florida and inhabit rivers, springs and coastal areas throughout the state. The nonprofit Save the Manatee Club, based in Florida, said in a release to its website last week that it was working with its partners, including the FWC, to “actively” monitor the aftermath of Helene and its impact on the manatee population.

“As Florida natives, manatees are well-adapted to the extreme weather events in our state,” the release read in part. “However, they do face significant risk during powerful storms. Storm surges can cause manatees to go far inland to areas they would not normally inhabit, where they can become trapped when the water recedes.”

The FWC urged the public to not attempt to handle any stranded manatees and instead call the state’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-392 to alert officials of the animals’ location.

It added that “manatees stranded by storms may need immediate medical attention from wildlife experts.” Residents can report incidents of other injured wildlife to the Wildlife Alert Hotline or submit a report online through this link.

Newsweek reached out to the FWC for additional information via email on Tuesday.

The FWC was deployed over the weekend as part of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ Operation Blue Ridge, a multistate agency effort to assist recovery efforts in North Carolina and Tennessee, according to a release from the governor’s office Sunday.

The FWC wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday that Operation Blue Ridge “also aims to help Floridians needing rescue in Western North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Tennessee Valley.”

“FWC stands ready to continue assisting our neighbors as they recover from Hurricane Helene’s effects,” the post added.

TAMPA, Fla. – The Florida State Fair is already gearing up for its 2025 event.

The theme for the 2025 fair is ‘Let Your Fun Shine’ and, for the first time, a mobile app highlighting attractions, new fair food, agricultural events, exhibits, and more, will be available to fairgoers.

Advanced fair tickets are available for $5 with no added fees during a 12-hour flash sale on Tuesday, Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. or while supplies last. 

“The Florida State Fair is always looking to bring an improved experience to our guests, and this year we are focused on encouraging every fairgoer to let their fun shine,” said Cheryl Flood, chief executive officer of the Florida State Fair. “We are incredibly excited to offer families this low price with our first flash sale of the season, and we look forward to soon providing more resources for our guests to explore new features and plan their perfect day at the fair.”

READ: New Florida laws take effect Oct. 1: Here’s what you need to know

The Florida State Fair will open to guests at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, and runs through Monday, Feb. 17.

During the fair, all guests 17 years or younger must be accompanied by an admission-paying parent or guardian, 21 years of age or older with a valid ID beginning at 6 p.m. each evening.

The accompanying adult must show a valid ID for entry and can supervise up to four persons, 17 years of age or younger. Additionally, all admission gates will close at 9 p.m. daily.

Click here to purchase tickets during the flash sale on Oct. 1.

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