A home fire is not the way Tabatha Phelps and her fiancé, Ben, wanted to ring in the new year, but the American Red Cross was there to offer support.

Tabatha was working on January 2, 2017, when their Shannon City, Iowa home caught fire. Ben said he noticed an orange glow in the kitchen and went outside to find a fire in the outbuildings had spread to the house. He managed to get the cat and himself to safety.

The fire damaged the back of the house and destroyed the electrical system, which made the house uninhabitable for the winter.

“Without the Red Cross, it would have been bad,” Tabatha said. “They helped get me in contact with resources.”

The Red Cross provided financial support to Tabatha and Ben so they could stay at a hotel and purchase new food and clothing.

Tabatha appreciates the calls she received from the Red Cross to check in and make sure they have everything they need. Her positive experience with the Red Cross sparked an interested to get involved.

“[Volunteering with the Red Cross] that’s something I’d really like to do,” Tabatha said.