(BPT) - When disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes or wildfires strike a community and leave residents faced with damaged homes and wrecked cars, even an hour can feel like forever before help arrives. The immediate aftermath of a catastrophe can be chaotic and full of anxiety for those who have lost homes and vehicles.

So one company took action this year to get ahead of the curve, and proactively supported nonprofit recovery response efforts by pre-funding grants before disaster strikes.

This year, State Farm pre-funded the American Red Cross with a $2 million grant to support the nonprofit's disaster relief efforts. Pre-disaster funding (pre-funding) is a proactive approach that helps give immediate support for disaster relief efforts. The goal of pre-funding is to support nonprofits like the American Red Cross to prepare for and respond to disasters more effectively.

Because of this new approach, communities and families impacted by disasters big and small - including hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and countless other crises - can recover more quickly and reduce the impact of natural disasters.

'Mission Leaders like State Farm are vital to our work, helping drive innovation across our organization, providing capacity to respond immediately in times of crisis,' said Cliff Holtz, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. 'I am grateful for their support, which safeguards our ability to care for those in need when the unthinkable happens.'

A history of neighborly support

State Farm has a long history of helping disaster relief programs. However, this is the first year the company has employed a proactive pre-funding approach. In addition to its partnership with the American Red Cross, the nation's home and auto insurance leader has also pre-funded grants of $250,000 to Convoy of Hope and $250,000 to Midwest Food Bank to help support these community nonprofits to respond immediately following a catastrophe.

'State Farm is committed to helping individuals and families manage the risks of everyday life and recover from the unexpected,' said Apsara Sorensen, State Farm corporate responsibility assistant vice president. 'We extend this commitment to the neighborhoods we serve by providing resources and collaborating with nonprofit organizations with a history of disaster response, providing immediate relief and vital necessities during times of need.'

The dangers of severe weather seasons

Throughout the year, homeowners are encouraged to be prepared for severe weather like spring storms, hail, wildfire, tornado and hurricane season. And residents in hurricane prone communities currently are in the busiest, deadliest and costliest months for hurricanes in the U.S., with September being the peak. Even one hurricane occurrence can be devastating. Hurricane Idalia - the only major hurricane to impact the U.S. last year - hit in late August 2023 and resulted in about 8,000 State Farm homeowner and auto claims. State Farm paid approximately $76 million to those customers impacted by Idalia, helping them recover and rebuild their lives in the wake of the event.

How to prep for severe weather and storms

You can't prevent a hurricane or other natural disasters. However, if you live in areas prone to severe weather and storms, you can prepare yourself and your home ahead of time. Follow these top three proactive insurance tips to ensure you can quickly and easily respond to a natural disaster.

1. Review your insurance coverage. Don't wait until after disaster strikes to realize that inflation and increasing economic pressures may have impacted the cost of rebuilding. Make sure you have the right amount and type of insurance for your property and to help protect your loved ones.

2. Protect important insurance documents. Keep your important insurance documents and policy paperwork in a protected, waterproof place. You can also install your insurance app for immediate electronic access to insurance documents.

3. Create a home inventory. Make a list of your possessions and their estimated value. You can use technology to help create and safely store your digital home inventory.

• Take pictures with your smartphone. Capture important individual items as well as entire rooms, closets or drawers. Label photos with what's pictured, where you bought it, the make or model and the serial number.
• Take video. Walk through your house or apartment, recording and describing the contents.
• Use an app. Many mobile app options can help you create and store a room-by-room record of your belongings.

Using these three tips can help you place your claims when the worst occurs so your insurer can react quickly and get you the help you need. Find more hurricane prep information with State Farm Simple Insights.

To learn more about State Farm's efforts to help communities, visit statefarm.com.

This content is sponsored by State Farm.