A massive winter storm blanketed a large swath of the southern and eastern United States from New Mexico to the Northeast with heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain followed by an arctic blast in late January. Some areas saw more than a foot of snow for the first time in years.

Dozens of weather-related deaths were reported in the aftermath of the storm, and heavy ice and downed trees knocked out power. By Jan. 25, more than 1 million people across the U.S. were without electricity. A week after the storm, more than 200,000 homes and businesses were still without power in Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee amid dangerously cold temperatures.

The extended power outages and treacherous travel conditions disrupted health services in the hardest-hit locations.

Americares is responding with medicine, medical supplies and emergency funding for health clinics in affected areas.

Americares is focused on the health needs and preparing to send shipments of medicine and emergency funding to clinics that lost power in the storm. Clinics in Tennessee and Mississippi that were without power for five days have reached out to Americares requesting support to replace damaged medications.

Ahead of the storm, Americares reached out to more than 360 partners across 13 states in the path of Winter Storm Fern to offer assistance.

Americares responds to more than 35 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings preparedness programs to communities vulnerable to disasters. The organization has a long history of responding to weather-related emergencies in the U.S. including ice storms, hurricanes and floods, meeting the health needs of survivors.