Red Cross Launches Nationwide Fundraising Drive
  

 

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, July 27, 2010 — With an active flood response spreading across Iowa, a predicted busy hurricane season looming, an oil spill in the Gulf that could make matters even worse, and local disasters such as home fires, the American Red Cross Grant Wood Area Chapter is launching a new disaster relief fundraising drive.

 

“The Red Cross spends about $450 million a year responding to nearly 70,000 disasters across the country – floods, wildfires, tornados and home fires,” said Angela Jordan, CEO at the Grant Wood Area Chapter. “We’re asking people to click, text or call to support Red Cross disaster relief.”

 

Red Cross chapters across the state and country are taking part in the new disaster response fund-raising drive, kicked off in the midst of local flood response and just before the height of the hurricane season in August and September. As part of this effort, the Red Cross is airing national television ads, sending targeted fund-raising appeals, using social media and making public appeals for disaster donations.

 

Contributions for disaster relief will support response to the 70,000 disasters the Red Cross responds to every year, whether they are hurricanes that affect millions of people here or abroad, floods that affect thousands, or a house fire that drives one family from its home.

 

“We’ll be asking Eastern Iowa residents for donations to help support Red Cross disaster relief, and we hope people will respond,” said Jordan. “Every single donation brings hope to people in need.”

 

During the week of July 26, the Red Cross distributed thousands of meals, snacks and bottles of water to flooded residents in Buchanan, Delaware and Jones counties and provided hundreds of clean up kits to the area, along with offering shelter to those in need.

 

Readiness is also a big part of disaster relief. The Red Cross already has pre-positioned equipment and materials near areas that could be hit by hurricanes. In addition, the Red Cross frequently moves supplies and people closer to an area threatened by a potential large disaster so they can be ready to respond quickly. These preparations cost money, and those funds have to be available long before a storm strikes.

 

People who want to make a contribution to disaster response can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS to support American Red Cross Disaster Response or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a donation.

By donating to the Red Cross, you can help those in need. Here are some examples of how disaster relief donations are spent:

$10:	Provides one “comfort kit” and blanket to a disaster client. The kit contains deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, facial tissues, wash cloth, shampoo, liquid soap, lotion, comb, razor and shaving cream.
$25:	Provides breakfast, lunch and dinner to a shelter resident.
$50:	Provides food and shelter to a person for one day. This service includes preparation of breakfast, lunch and dinner, the costs to mobilize and distribute a cot, two blankets and a comfort kit as well as the costs of Red Cross workers to provide this service.
$150:	Provides supplies to support the needs of an infant in a shelter. This includes diapers, wipes, soy formula, a crib and changing pads. When possible, arrangements are made to house families with infants in a separate section of a shelter to ensure safety and privacy for families.
$575:	Covers the cost to deploy one emergency response vehicle (ERV) and two Red Cross workers to a disaster operation for one day. These vehicles travel throughout affected areas providing warm food and cold drinks, as well as needed supplies like clean-up and comfort kits. This daily cost includes the cost of fuel and maintenance.
$1,500:	Covers the cost to provide a family of four all of the Red Cross emergency services, including feeding, sheltering, bulk distribution and client casework. This includes five nights in a shelter with meals for four people, one bulk package, and casework for one family. The bulk package includes a cooler; flashlight; batteries; hand sanitizer; insect repellant; sunscreen; a clean-up kit with a sectional handle with mop, broom, squeegee and push broom heads, pail, scrub brush, sponge, disinfectant, detergent/degreaser, bleach, trash bags, gloves and dust mask; and a comfort kit for each family member.