The Road to Recovery: Meet the People You Help Every Day
Friday, December 26, 2008 —
Fred Xee and Red Cross volunteer Kimyata Jackson became friends at a shelter in Sylmar, Calif.after wildfires burned Xee’s home. Gene Dailey/American Red Cross.
A hurricane hits the United States and it’s all over the news. Somebody watching TV sees the destruction and the need, and they decide to donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Someone reads in their local newspaper about a fire that burned down a house, and how Red Cross volunteers arrived in the middle of the night to help that family. They think, “I didn’t know the Red Cross did that,” and they send a donation to the Disaster Relief Fund.
Whether it’s a large event that ends up on the nightly news, or one that gets tucked away in the back pages of the newspaper, disasters of any kind bring upheaval to people’s lives. It is gifts to the Disaster Relief Fund that help them start over.
Veronica Johnson was one of countless people whose lives were turned upside down this year. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, her house and the houses of relatives and friends were inundated with water during the record-breaking June floods. Johnson stayed in a shelter as Red Cross teams assessed the damage in her neighborhood. After meeting with a Red Cross client service worker, she received financial assistance to purchase food, clothing, and other critical items that helped her and her family get back on their feet.
Just a few months later, wildfires in California burned hundreds of homes, including more than 500 in Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar. Fred Xee—who used to work on film restoration from his home office—lost both his house and his business. He was depressed and not sure what to do next until Red Cross volunteer Kimyata Jackson stopped by and talked to him. Kimyata lost everything herself several years ago and could relate to what Fred was going through. They became fast friends, and Fred attributes Kimyata’s outgoing personality and big heart to helping him get through this difficult time.
Disaster knows no season. Every day across the country, the Red Cross gives free assistance to disaster victims. Since the Red Cross is not a government agency, it relies on generous public donations to carry out its mission.
You can make a difference by giving a gift to the Disaster Relief Fund today.
Help people affected by disasters like the recent tornadoes and floods, by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of all disasters. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) 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, D.C., 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting RedCross.org.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.
