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$500,000 Pledged for Flood Relief in Mexico
Mark W. Everson will tour the affected region by helicopter to get a first-hand look at the devastation and relief efforts
By Susannah Cernojevich, National Headquarters, American Red Cross
Thursday, November 08, 2007 — The American Red Cross is responding to the severe flooding in Southern Mexico by providing $500,000 in financial assistance and supplies, and the organization's president, Mark W. Everson, will visit the affected area tomorrow to get a first-hand look at the devastation.
More than 70 percent of the state of Tabasco in Southern Mexico remains flooded, and the waters are not expected to recede for another 2-3 weeks. The flooding, which has affected more than one million people, resulted from unusually heavy rains that caused rivers to overflow their banks.
In addition to the $500,000 donation, the American Red Cross has deployed an international relief worker, Winnie Romeril, and is still weighing other response options.
The American Red Cross and the Mexican Red Cross have a rich history of helping each other during times of disaster. Just last month, the Mexican Red Cross sent 10 workers to Southern California to assist the American Red Cross in reaching out to the Spanish-speaking community.
The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.
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