Red Cross Responding to California Wildfires, Hurricane Laura; Hundreds of volunteers providing shelter, meals, and comfort
You can help by making a donation, giving blood, or becoming a volunteer
Pamela Harris of the American Red Cross looks out on a home destroyed by Hurricane Laura in Cameron Parish, LA, one of the hardest-hit areas.
Photo by Scott Dalton/American Red Cross
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (September 1st, 2020) — Hundreds of trained American Red Cross disaster workers are helping 24-7 in California, Louisiana, and Texas to support people impacted by the devastating wildfires in northern California and the massive destruction left behind by Hurricane Laura.
“August has been an incredibly busy month for the Red Cross with hundreds of disaster workers responding to help people whose lives were turned upside down by wildfires, hurricanes, and other disasters,” said Grace Meinhofer, Regional Director of Communications and Marketing for the South Florida Red Cross. “They need your help now. Please consider making a donation to help people affected by disasters, giving blood, or becoming a Red Cross volunteer today.”
Nearly two weeks after first igniting, nearly 54,000 people still can’t return home in northern California with devastating wildfires continuing to burn out of control. Hundreds of Red Cross trained disaster workers are focused on providing food, shelter, relief supplies, and comfort to people in need. The Red Cross is helping people affected by wildfires in Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
Along the Gulf Coast, hundreds more trained Red Cross disaster workers are helping people impacted by the devastation left behind by Hurricane Laura — one of most powerful storms to ever hit the U.S. Homes and businesses are destroyed, heavy debris is blocking roads, and hundreds of thousands of people are without power and water. The Red Cross has teams of volunteers circulating through accessible areas to assess the damage and provide ready-to-eat meals, water, and snacks. Thousands of people are taking refuge in emergency lodgings, including shelters and, in some circumstances, hotels. Red Cross workers are also helping to replace prescription medications, eyeglasses and offer emotional support to people whose lives have been turned upside down.
The Red Cross is also still helping to provide food, shelter, and support for people in Iowa and Illinois after a recent derecho caused widespread damage across parts of both states.
From South Florida, more than 26 volunteers have been deployed to support all of these disaster relief operations
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Help people affected by disasters like wildfires, storms, and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to, and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS, or text the word DISASTER to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
If you have the time, you can make a significant impact as a Red Cross volunteer. Review our most urgently needed volunteer positions here: http://redcross.org/volunteertoday.
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 and visit us on Facebook and Twitter at @SFLRedCross.
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