Facing a relentless disaster season, families in the U.S. have spent more nights in emergency lodging in 2020 than in any other year over the past decade.  

 “As the coronavirus pandemic wears on, disasters like the April Tornadoes across the state — plus relentless hurricanes and wildfires — have upended hundreds of thousands of lives across the country,” said Rod Tolbert, the CEO of the American Red Cross of South Carolina. “Through it all, more people are stepping up as Red Cross volunteers to help others — even as they cope with COVID-19. It’s a true testament to the humanitarian spirit of people in South Carolina and in our country.”

More than 1 million times this year, a person relied on the Red Cross for a safe place to sleep after a disaster in the U.S. That’s more than four times the annual average from 2011 to 2019.

This year’s total so far includes nearly 3,000 overnight stays for people in South Carolina following the April Tornadoes. Volunteers have also helped more than 4,500 people affected by home fires this year in South Carolina, helping them secure a safe place to stay and providing food, emotional support and other assistance.

ONE FAMILY’S HOME FIRE STORY Brittany Snelson is among families displaced by a home fire during COVID-19 in South Carolina. Snelson and her boys lost their home after a fire in Charleston in early November. Much of what the family owned was damaged or destroyed but volunteers with the Red Cross of South Carolina stepped up to help.

“My children have something to sleep on because of the Red Cross. They are wearing clothes that were not what we had in the apartment because of the Red Cross. We have food and groceries because of the Red Cross. Everything that we have right now is because of the Red Cross,” said Snelson.

THOUSANDS ANSWER CALL TO HELP This year, more than 70,000 people across the country joined the Red Cross as volunteers — who represent more than 90% of its workforce. As South Carolina and the country grapples with the pandemic, more than 250 South Carolina volunteers deployed to support disaster relief efforts in their communities and around the country in 2020.

Nationwide, 75% of new volunteers also stepped up at a pivotal time to fill mission-critical positions, such as shelter and health workers addressing urgent disaster needs, as well as blood donor ambassadors and transportation specialists helping to provide cancer patients, trauma victims and others with lifesaving blood.

Volunteers like Bruce Devoe, from the Upstate, was one of the volunteers that stepped up during the pandemic to help. He joined the Red Cross of South Carolina at the beginning of the summer and chose to deploy to the Gulf in response to Hurricane Laura.

“During the COVID shutdown, I had a lot of time to think to myself and felt it was time that I commit to not just the thought, but actually doing the action of helping people in need,” said Devoe. “Especially during this year, with everything that has gone on, being able to help people and show that there is still humanity out there is very rewarding and fulfilling,” said Devoe.

NEW BLOOD DONORS SAVE LIVES In 2020, Red Cross blood drive cancellations tripled compared to the year prior — mostly due to COVID-19. Since March, over 50,000 blood drives were canceled as the pandemic forced schools, businesses and community organizations to close, impacting over 1 million blood donation appointments. Still, people rolled up their sleeves — more than a half-million of them giving for the first time.

Local blood donors stepped up to help maintain a blood supply and provide much needed convalescent plasma. One of those donors was Tramone Hester from Eastern South Carolina. Hester was diagnosed with COVID-19 early in the Pandemic and once recovered, he decided to donate in order to help other patients that were battling the coronavirus.  The Red Cross is collecting convalescent plasma, a type of blood donation collected from individuals who have recently recovered from coronavirus that contains antibodies that may help patients actively fighting the virus.

“There are a lot of other things that have our attention right now, but that hour can change someone’s life. You never know if someone in your family will need it, or if you will need it,’ said Hester. “It made me really think about the people that are dealing with this virus. I wanted to help someone else and I feel really good about it. It means a lot.”

Blood donation is an essential service, and everyone’s well-being is our top priority. The Red Cross follows the latest public health guidelines, as well as has put additional precautions in place to ensure everyone’s safety.

This pandemic has also caused the Red Cross to adapt its collections to include plasma from COVID-19 survivors to potentially help those battling the virus recover. Thousands of COVID-19 survivors have stepped up to share their potentially lifesaving antibodies by giving plasma. Since April, nearly 25,000 COVID-19 survivors have rolled up a sleeve — many of whom are new to blood donation. Their donations have enabled the Red Cross to ship nearly 50,000 units to hospitals across the country treating COVID-19 patients.

HOW YOU CAN HELP On Giving Tuesday and during the holiday season, help people in need by donating at redcross.org/gift. A gift of any size makes a difference. If you’re healthy and feeling well, we also urge you to donate blood this holiday season. Your blood donation can make a lifesaving difference for a patient in need. Visit RedCrossBlood.org to schedule an appointment today.

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.