LOS ANGELES, July 29, 2020 – The American Red Cross Los Angeles Region in partnership with PrepareLA Westlake Pico Union coalition members and the office of Councilmember Gil Cedillo have started to deliver COVID-19 preparedness education to the Westlake and Pico-Union communities. The first outreach began today, Wednesday, July 29, with volunteers set up at several sites in the community for families to access information.
“COVID-19 has brought a wave of new challenges to many of the communities we serve in Los Angeles and some of the hardest hit have been in the most densely populated, immigrant communities, such a Westlake, Pico-Union,” said Norma A. Vega, Chief Strategy & External Relations Officer for the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region. “Communities count on the Red Cross for help every day – and supporting those communities is at the heart of what we do through programs such as PrepareLA.”
PrepareLA is a subset of the Red Cross PrepareSoCal campaign, focused on engaging and educating leaders in Los Angeles’ most disaster-vulnerable neighborhoods to build community resilience by providing resources, tools and training, as well as giving the community a voice in planning for their needs. More information on this campaign and available resources can be found at preparesocal.org.
For the Westlake and Pico-Union communities, Red Cross volunteers and AmeriCorps members will provide preparedness information in both English and Spanish from July 29 to Aug. 7. To volunteer with the Red Cross, visit redcross.org/la-covid.
In addition to COVID-19 preparedness information, families at these sites will also be provided information on the Red Cross Virtual Family Assistance Center which supports families struggling with loss and grief due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. People can visit redcross.org/VFAC to access a support hub with special virtual programs, information, referrals and services to support families in need. People without internet access can call 833-492-0094 for help either in English or Spanish.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/la or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossLA or @CruzRojaLA.