FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRINCETON, NJ, August 25, 2017 — As Hurricane Harvey nears land, the American Red Cross is mounting a massive relief effort ahead of the most deadly and devastating hurricane forecast to strike the United States in more than a decade.
Hurricane Harvey is slated for landfall along the Texas Gulf Coast with winds over 100 mph and up to 35 inches of rain, leading to devastating and life-threatening flooding. Tornadoes are also possible. The storm is expected to hover over parts of Texas and Louisiana for several days.
The Red Cross is mobilizing hundreds of trained Red Cross disaster relief workers, truckloads of kitchen supplies, as well as tens of thousands of ready-to-eat meals to support this response effort. Trailers full of shelter supplies including cots and blankets—enough to support more than 20,000 people—are scheduled to arrive in Texas.
“Ten New Jersey Red Cross volunteers are proudly serving alongside local volunteers in Texas, helping provide a safe haven for those who have evacuated their homes due to Hurricane Harvey,” said Ana Montero, regional CEO, American Red Cross New Jersey Region. “Additional volunteers are ready to deploy to help with the disaster response effort as needed. We’re thankful for their dedication to help others in a time of need.”
More than 40 Red Cross emergency response vehicles are activated with more on alert. The Red Cross is also working in close collaboration with government officials and community partners in both Texas and Louisiana to coordinate potential response efforts.
The Red Cross depends on financial donations to be able to provide disaster relief immediately. Help people affected by Hurricane Harvey by visiting redcross.org, calling 1- 800-RED CROSS or texting the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. The Red Cross honors donor intent. Donors can designate their donation to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts by choosing that option when donating on redcross.org or on 1-800-RED CROSS. The best way to ensure your donation will go to a specific disaster is to write the specific disaster name in the memo line of a check. We also recommend completing and mailing the donation form on redcross.org with your check.
About the American Red Cross:
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 redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
About the American Red Cross in New Jersey
The American Red Cross provides programs and services to a population of 8.8 million in New Jersey. The Red Cross trains and mobilizes more than 5,300 volunteers who support the delivery of services throughout the state. In New Jersey, last year, the Red Cross responded to more than 760 local disasters, mostly home fires, helping more than 1,800 displaced families; collected more than 89,100 units of blood through blood drives and Red Cross Blood Donation Centers; provided more than 3,500 military family case services with emergency messages, helping families find assistance and/or get counseling and referrals; and trained more than 116,100 individuals with life-saving skills in preparedness, CPR, AED use, first aid and aquatics. For more information, please visit redcross.orgJ and follow us on Twitter @NJRedCross.
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Contact:
Diane Concannon, 609-206-4043 (cell)
diane.concannon@redcross.org
Twitter: @NJRedCross