SOUTH CAROLINA, NOVEMBER 18, 2024 — In 2024, extreme weather mounted an overwhelming toll on people in South Carolina and the U.S., who relied on the American Red Cross for relief and care as they faced the country’s second-highest number of billion-dollar disasters ever recorded.

This year’s 24 major climate and weather events — each with losses exceeding $1 billion — are topped only by last year’s record-breaking 28. To help, over 2,000 Red Cross volunteers from South Carolina have been part of teams responding nonstop to provide shelter, food and other assistance to tens of thousands of people reeling from this year’s hurricanes, storms, and floods — all while continuing to care for families still recovering from 2023’s extreme disasters.

“First-hand, I’ve seen the devastation that disasters have caused families this year — and extreme weather shows no signs of slowing down,” said Yolanda Gainwell, Interim Regional Chief Executive Officer for the Red Cross of South Carolina, who responded to Hurricane Helene. “Whether a crisis happens in our backyard or a community across the country, neighbors are counting on us to help ensure they don’t face it alone. Please join us by making a donation of any size or rolling up a sleeve to give blood.”

This Giving Tuesday and holiday season, visit redcross.org to make a financial donation or an appointment to give blood. Individuals can also give the gift of time through volunteering. 

NEED FOR FOOD IN 2024 NEARLY TRIPLES 5-YEAR NATIONAL AVERAGE Nationally, the scope of disasters increased this year’s demand for necessities like food and emergency lodging — which both exceeded the annual average for the past five years. In fact, this year’s more than 7 million meals and snacks, served by Red Cross volunteers, nearly tripled that average.

Locally, this included apartment fires, severe storm damage and flooding. And on a national scale, 191 volunteers from South Carolina raised their hands to deploy across the country following multiple large-scale disasters, many of them multiple times, to provide comfort and relief to countless families impacted by tornadoes, wildfires, floods and hurricanes. 

RESPONDING TO OTHER HUMANITARIAN NEEDS This year, the Red Cross addressed people’s urgent needs in other ways too:

• BLOOD DONATIONS: Millions of blood donors nationwide helped overcome a significant number of blood drive cancellations due to the country’s severe weather and heat, including over 3,400 blood drives in South Carolina. This support was critical because as the nation’s largest blood supplier, the Red Cross helped ensure patients continued accessing lifesaving treatment during major disasters by pre-positioning blood products near areas likely to be impacted. To celebrate 30 years of FRIENDS, all who come to give blood or platelets Nov. 18-Dec. 8 will receive two pairs of custom FRIENDS + Red Cross socks, while supplies last, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products. See RedCrossBlood.org/Friends for details.
• LIFESAVING TRAINING: With emergency rooms experiencing a spike in heat illness visits amid the country’s extreme temperatures, Red Cross instructors empowered millions of people — including over 37,000 in South Carolina — this year with vital first aid, CPR and AED skills to help them prevent and respond to heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
• MILITARY FAMILIES: Through our 24/7, global Hero Care Network, local Red Cross workers supported military members, veterans and their families in South Carolina this year through nearly 9,000 case services, such as connecting deployed service members and loved ones during family emergencies. Nationally, this also included answering thousands of calls from military families affected by this year’s hurricanes — including Helene and Milton — and connecting them with military aid societies to help facilitate recovery assistance.

Visit our Year-in-Review webpage for more information about how the Red Cross of South Carolina helped people in our state in 2024.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.

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