ANCHORAGE, OCTOBER 31, 2025 — The American Red Cross has been working in grateful partnership with the State of Alaska Department of Emergency Management along with local, tribal, and national partners to provide comfort, care, and hope to Alaska Natives forced to evacuate Western villages in the wake of Typhoon Halong. Now, our responders are supporting survivor households as they settle into the non-congregate hotel shelter program managed by the State and Tidal Basin.  

The Red Cross remains committed to providing essential support for survivors in non-congregate shelter settings by ensuring their immediate physical needs are met while offering compassionate emotional assistance. We will continue to foster a sense of community and connection, ensuring that every survivor feels 'seen' and valued, regardless of their housing situation. Through proactive communication and collaboration with local partners, we aim to create an environment where survivors can regain a sense of safety, dignity, and control as they navigate their recovery journey.  

To date, we have provided nearly 4,000 overnight stays in our managed emergency shelters, including the University of Alaska Anchorage Alaska Airlines Center and William A. Egan Civic Center in Anchorage. These shelters have provided more than just a safe place to stay; they served as a central hub for recovery assistance and community support, with access to services including medical care, mental health support, vital records and traditional foods.  

The Red Cross acknowledges that this disaster relief operation is taking place on the ancestral lands of many different communities and has made cultural sensitivity and awareness a key part of our responder training.   

“The Alaska Red Cross has been re-sharing the treasured cultural traditions of our Alaska Native communities with Red Cross responders who have deployed here from all over the country,” said Tanguy Libbrecht, CEO of the Red Cross Alaska Region. “We've worked with many partners and our own Red Cross Cultural Liaison to train our workforce in the specific traditions and values of impacted villages. I was humbled to see our usual Red Cross signage printed in Yup’ik.”  

In addition to services provided inside shelters, Red Cross workers are also actively working to deliver emergency supplies where they are needed. Over 560 households have received items to date, including almost 100 cleaning kits and more than 2,000 requested items, from replacement freezers to cleaning supplies.   

Since the beginning of the response, we have engaged with various tribal groups to ensure we are addressing the unique needs of rural Alaskans. That includes making sure evacuees are able to enjoy the kinds of food they would recognize from their villages rather than relying on meals popular in the Lower 48.   

If you were evacuated from western Alaska as a result of the 2025 October West Coast Storm and need sheltering help you can call the State of Alaska’s Non-Congregate Shelter Assistance Line at 907-759-6927, Monday-Saturday 9:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.  

To help cover urgent expenses, the Red Cross is also offering financial assistance to impacted households.  

How you can help 

All Red Cross assistance is provided free of charge and made possible by the generosity of our donors and volunteers. You can make a gift to support Red Cross Western Alaska Storm and Flood Relief by visiting redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Every single donation will make a difference in someone’s life. 

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.