Volunteer disaster responders with the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois responded to 23 fires from Monday, April 20 through today in the Chicago & Northern Illinois area in Cicero, Kankakee, Ottawa, Rockford, and more, with 11 of these fires occurring in Chicago.
In the past week, the Red Cross assisted 54 individuals, including 39 adults and 15 children with temporary housing, food, clothing and comfort kits with toiletry items, information about recovery services and health and mental health services.
The American Red Cross responds to 3 to 4 home fires every day in Chicago and Northern Illinois, and our volunteers have been working to respond virtually to fires whenever possible during this difficult time. If you need assistance, please call our dispatch Line: 1-877 597-0747. You can take two easy steps to protect your home and loved ones from a fire: get a smoke alarm and create a fire escape plan. Having a working smoke alarm cuts the risk of dying in a home fire in half.
Heroes Virtual Event on 05/07
On Thursday, May 7 join us for a virtual event with our 2020 Red Cross Heroes. This event will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and those in attendance will hear from the Heroes and learn more about the work they are doing to help the community during this public health crisis. Anyone interested in attending this virtual event via Zoom can register here.
For the first time in 18 years, the annual Red Cross Heroes Breakfast had to be canceled due to the pandemic. Remember to Follow @chicagoredcross on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see the heroes' amazing stories every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m.
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.