Many of us don’t have to think back very hard to remember a time when a natural disaster turned our world upset down.

Today is the first anniversary of the deadly tornadoes that ripped through Bertie County and neighboring Eastern North Carolina counties, hitting as close to home as Wilson.

Areas on the Outer Banks still are recovering and rebuilding from Hurricane Irene.

Ask anyone who lived in Rocky Mount in 1999 about the flood, and you’ll be sure to hear a harrowing story of survival and loss.

During the response in each of these disasters, the American Red Cross has been there, mobilizing volunteers, offering aid and some semblance of calm and comfort amid the chaos of a storm’s aftermath.

Disaster relief is a year-round need because, as we are so often reminded, disasters can strike at any time.

This past weekend, dozens of tornadoes swept across Midwest towns, ripping homes from their foundations and leaving trails of destruction.

You can bet the Red Cross will be a welcome sight for those families.

Today we can help. Watch WNCT’s telethon, and donate if you can.