Red Cross Assisting with Recovery After Devastating Tornadoes
Volunteers with the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team responded to 28 home fires in the past week in Chicago, Antioch, Elgin, Thornton, Markham, Maywood, Elk Grove Village, Streamwood, Streator and Ottawa including the high-rise building on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago.
Red Cross volunteers helped 142 people including 36 children with temporary housing, meals, health services, disaster mental health services, financial assistance and information about recovery planning.
A fire can take a home in as little as two minutes. Therefore, escaping in less than two minutes can be the difference between survival and tragedy. The American Red Cross encourages everyone to talk to their children about fire safety to help families stay safe and prepared.
Tornado Response Update
Also, this week, Red Cross volunteers offered help with recovery planning to communities impacted by the devastating tornadoes that took place last week and yesterday in Salem, Sherman, Robinson, Northwest Illinois, Northwest Indiana, as well as several towns in Fulton County. Over the weekend and this week, Red Cross volunteers completed disaster assessment, provided disaster emergency supplies, disaster health services, disaster mental health and disaster spiritual care to residents affected by the tornadoes.
If you need assistance after this or any disaster, including a home fire please call our dispatch line: 1-877-597-0747.
How You Can Help
This is the second time in two weeks that tornadoes and severe storms have uprooted lives and devastated entire communities. Families need help now. You can make a difference in the lives of people affected by tornadoes and storms in the South and Midwest. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or text the word TORNADO to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
About the American Red Cross
of Illinois The American Red Cross of Illinois serves 12.4 million people in 88 counties in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri including Adams, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cook, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, De Witt, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Green, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Putnam, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermillion, Warren, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson Winnebago, Woodford. Iowa: Lee, Muscatine, Scott and Van Buren. Missouri: Clark, Lewis, Marion and Ralls. 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 us at Redcross.org/Illinois or visit us on Twitter @RedCrossIL.