More than 124,000 people — including U.S. citizens or those who supported U.S. troops over the years — have evacuated Afghanistan over the past two months. During these challenging times, the Red Cross has been there to support repatriation and evacuation efforts for tens of thousands of people at U.S. military bases in the United States and around the globe.
Since August, nearly 800 Red Crossers have helped to provide health and mental health services. Afghan families left critical items behind in the rush to evacuate, so the American Red Cross is helping to replace prescription medications, eyeglasses, canes, wheelchairs and other basic items. Workers on the ground have made sure that people have necessities such as hygiene items, clothing, cribs, diapers and more.
Overall, the Red Cross has provided some 1.9 million relief items to support evacuees from Afghanistan. This includes comfort kits with personal hygiene items, towels, blankets, hand sanitizer, masks, gloves, thermometers, baby bottles, portable cribs and stuffed animals. Additionally, the Red Cross has served more than 385,000 meals and snacks.
More than just providing critical items, Red Crossers have been on the ground, showing that we care — lending a hand, offering a cup of coffee or sharing a smile with those in need. We are proud to have played a role in welcoming U.S. citizens and Afghan refugees who have been through so much over the past weeks and years.
To learn more, read here about how the Red Cross and Red Crescent are helping around the globe.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
