Fluor Corporation has given the Red Cross of Idaho a $10,000 gift to support the organization’s work during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The gift will help Idaho Red Cross collect and distribute lifesaving blood and meet families’ most immediate needs following disasters, work that has become more costly and difficult during the pandemic.
“We are invested in this community and that expands beyond the borders of the Idaho site,” said Tom D'Agostino, president of Fluor's Government Group. “This pandemic has affected so many people, and we want to support the community however we can.”
“The Red Cross does so much for our communities,” Fluor Idaho President Fred Hughes added. “Whether it’s service to our armed forces, disaster response or blood collection, the Red Cross is always there, even during this pandemic. We appreciate the commitment from an organization like the Red Cross and are proud to support them.”
The American Red Cross provides 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply but because of business and school closures and social distancing brought on by COVID-19, thousands of blood drives have been canceled across the country, including many in Idaho. This gift will help Idaho Red Cross increase its capacity at its existing blood drives and continue measures that ensure the safety of donors and staff.
The gift also helps the Red Cross respond to disasters across Idaho, most of them home fires. Since March 1, Red Cross has responded to more than 50 disasters in Idaho and Montana, including a recent apartment fire in Nampa that displaced more than 29 people.
With mass sheltering in facilities like churches and gyms no longer possible because of social distancing, the cost to provide lodging to families following larger-scale disasters like wildfires and flooding is increasing.
“This timely and generous gift will help us continue to fulfill our mission as we face the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19,” said Bryce Sitter, chief development officer for the Red Cross of Idaho and Montana. “We thank Fluor for standing with us during this critical time and helping us meet the needs of communities across Idaho.”
Fluor has a history of supporting the work of the Idaho Red Cross. Besides offering important financial support, Fluor also provides time and leadership to the humanitarian organization. Fluor Communications Director Ann Riedesel serves on the Idaho Red Cross board of directors and chaired the committee that planned the Red Cross Real Heroes event in Idaho Falls in March. That event recognized every-day citizens and first-responders in East Idaho who performed heroically to help save the life of another.
To learn more about the Red Cross of Idaho, schedule a blood donation appointment or become a volunteer, visit www.redcross.org/idaho or call 800-RED-CROSS.