Evacuated from her southwest Cedar Rapids home, Tasha and her three sons, Marcus, Gabriel, and Cameron found shelter and comfort at the Cedar Hills Community Church. While she is thankful for a safe place to stay for a few days, she is eager to return home.
She moved in to her current home on September 2, just 24 days before she received flood evacuation orders. Having to leave so soon after moving in, certainly wasn’t anything she anticipated.
But Tasha is no stranger to the American Red Cross. In 2004, she and her family were victims of a house fire. As a fire began to smolder, bedding in one of the bedrooms ignited the house in to flames. Everyone got out safely, but her home was destroyed. Red Cross volunteers responded within moments and met her at the scene of the fire. The Red Cross provided the family with temporary housing in a nearby hotel, and fortunately, her landlord found her another permanent home. The monetary means the Red Cross provided, helped with immediate needs and there were other resources available in the community as well. The Red Cross, local churches, and resources from the local college she attended made it possible for her to get back on her feet within weeks.
In 2015, Tasha became familiar again with Red Cross services. A bird nest built by an exterior light started a fire which impacted Tasha and her three sons. The Red Cross came forward to help with temporary shelter and monetary means for her to get back on her feet – AGAIN.
Now, in 2016 Tasha and her family are looking forward to normalcy once more. The Red Cross shelter is temporary and safe, but she is anxious to return home, to work, and to getting her boys back to school.
Tasha says, “I’m very thankful for everything the Red Cross has done to help me and my family. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. We’ll get through this.”
authored by Bobbie Bishop, special to redcross.org
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.
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