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Red Cross offers a helping hand to thousands
Friday, September 19, 2008 — Coastal areas of Texas are devastated in the wake of Hurricane Ike. Millions have no power and basic services are non-existent in the Galveston area, with no clear time frame for when they will be restored.
San Antonio, TX – Red Cross volunteer Maxine Ingram serves lunch in the shelter cafeteria.
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In the midst of it all, the American Red Cross is there lending a helping hand. Thousands of Red Cross staff and volunteers are in the storm-affected areas, offering those who were in Hurricane Ike’s path a safe place to stay, food, toiletries and a comforting ear.
In Texas:
- more than 100,000 people have found a safe place to stay in Red Cross shelters since they were opened
- more than half a million Red Cross meals and snacks have been served
- more than 10,000 people have received Red Cross comfort kits
- more than 2,000 contacts have been made with Red Cross mental health workers
- nearly 5,000 people have registered on the Red Cross Safe and Well web site
In Louisiana:
- more than 80,000 people have visited Red Cross shelters, beginning with Hurricane Gustav’s onslaught
- nearly two million Red Cross meals and snacks have been served
- nearly 30,000 people have been given comfort kits
- more than 17,000 contacts have been made with Red Cross mental health workers
- more than 5,000 people have registered on the Red Cross Safe and Well web site
Hurricane Ike’s damage was widespread and sheltering also took place in Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Michigan.
The Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund is depleted and we estimate we will spend $40-$70 million on our relief efforts for Gustav and, so far, we have raised only a fraction of what is needed. In the interim, the Red Cross is borrowing money to cover hurricane relief efforts, without cutting any services to disaster victims.
The Red Cross needs your help. Please make a donation by visiting www.redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Spanish speakers can call 1-800-257-7575. You can also use your cell phone to donate $5 by text messaging the keyword “GIVE” to “2HELP” (24357). You can send multiple donations depending on your carrier. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, you should call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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