The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois is sending a local volunteer to Mozambique to help in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai.
Katie Wilkes of Chicago, Illinois is being deployed tomorrow morning for at least four weeks. Katie has been a volunteer since 2010 and has deployed several times before for disasters including Hurricane Harvey and the California wildfires.
Interview Opportunities: Katie will be available for interviews at her Chicago home today and the airport tomorrow ahead of her deployment
WHO: Katie Wilkes, American Red Cross volunteer
WHERE: Her home or O’Hare airport
WHEN: After 3PM today, Thursday, March 28 and Friday morning, March 29, 2019 at the airport
The Mozambique Red Cross was on the ground before the storm made landfall with a team from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) arriving shortly after. We are working closely with international partners to ensure a well-coordinated response in support of the people of Mozambique.
Read more about the Red Cross response here.
Link to B-roll here.
HOW TO HELP Disaster relief involves complex responses and the Red Cross needs the public’s support to help the people affected. Those who would like to help the Red Cross support people affected by disasters like flooding, wildfires and countless other crises can make a donation to Red Cross Disaster Relief. People can donate by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.
About the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois:
The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois serves 9.5 million people in 21 counties including Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Jo Daviess, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will and Winnebago. 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/il/chicago or visit us on Twitter @ChicagoRedCross.