How to help with 'Day of Giving' Sandy relief efforts

ABC7 and our parent company Disney are teaming up with the Red Cross to deliver aid to areas hard hit by Superstorm Sandy.

ABC News personalities are answering a donation hotline along with some Hollywood stars - including Ethan Hawke, Snooki, Barbara Walters and Katie Couric. You can call 1-800-Help-Now to talk to them or make donations at www.redcross.org/abc. You can also text ABC to 90999 to give $10 to the relief efforts.

Disney kicked things off with a $2 million donation to the American Red Cross and Samsung will matching contributions today, up to $3 million.

The Bay Area Red Cross has sent five vehicles and 100 volunteers to help with relief efforts. They are handing out supplies like cleaning kits, toiletries and water. However the Red Cross is not asking for people to donate items such as canned goods and diapers.

"It is just very difficult to process that stuff. We have to clean it and we don't know where it came from and that kind of stuff. The real fastest way is too simply make a financial donation or to donate blood to the American Red Cross," said Jim Mallory of the American Red Cross.

"The storm cancelled over 360 Red Cross blood drives in the last week, so there is a critical need for blood. So if someone has already given a cash donation maybe they will consider a blood donation, it is a gift that will save a life. The best thing to do is to make an appointment ahead of time by going to RedCross.org and that will go a long way," said Aaron Litwin of the American Red Cross.

There are estimates that this will be the most expensive relief effort that our country has ever seen.

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local news, amy hollyfield

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