WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (November 21, 2018) — In a year when disasters upended the lives of thousands of people, the American Red Cross is asking everyone to Give Something that Means Something for families in need through its 2018 Holiday Giving Campaign.

“Every day, the Red Cross is assisting families impacted by home fires and other disasters,” said Joanne Nowlin, chief executive officer for the South Florida Region. “During this special time of year, think of the many families counting on your support. On Giving Tuesday, please consider making a financial donation to help those impacted by disasters.”

GIVING TUESDAY Beginning on Giving Tuesday—November 27—please #GiveWithMeaning at redcross.org/gift to support people in need with a symbolic gift, which you can make in honor of the special people in your life:

• Help disaster victims. Your gift of $250 can deliver hot meals for 25 people who need nourishment after a disaster. A donation of $100 can provide a family of two with a full day’s worth of emergency shelter with meals, snacks, blankets, a cot and hygiene supplies. Help provide warmth with a gift of $50, which can provide blankets for 10 people.
• Help our veterans. A donation of $125 can help veterans transition back to civilian life by connecting them and their families to critical services such as food, housing, counseling and rehabilitation.
• Help internationally. Your gift of $100 can help provide lifesaving vaccinations for 100 children who face an increased risk of measles and rubella around the world.

In addition, you can also:

• Volunteer to help others. To learn more about becoming a Red Cross volunteer, visit redcross.org/sflvolunteer.

GIVING HOPE EVERY DAY Every 8 minutes, someone affected by disaster is helped by donations to the Red Cross. The generosity of Red Cross donors helps provide people with necessities like shelter, food, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance.

The need is constant—and this year was no different. Nearly every day, local Red Cross volunteers our assisting families impacted by disasters. Home fires—the nation’s most frequent disaster—account for the vast majority of our responses.

In addition to helping families recover from these events, we also help save lives by installing free smoke alarms and helping residents create escape plans through our Home Fire Campaign, which has reached more than 32,600 people throughout the South Florida Region since it began in 2014.

Because of the generous support of the community, in 2018, the South Florida Red Cross also:

• Provided more than 6,000 items to VA stand downs and military events
• Educated more than 300,000 people on lifesaving CPR and AED skills.
• Installed over 7,000 free smoke alarms

“Give something that means something this holiday season,” Nowlin said. “Your support will address the urgent needs of people every day as we serve them in our community.”

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/southflorida or visit us on Facebook or Twitter at @SFLRedCross.

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