Red Cross Launches Emergency Appeal for Money and Blood

The recent winter storms in North Texas have taken their toll. In a short four day period, the American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter responded to 18 residential structure fires, opened four shelters, one warming center and delivered supplies by the hundreds to the Greyhound bus station. When the sun finally broke through, the loss to the organization was apparent. More than $22,000, nearly half of the monthly budget for disaster assistance at the Dallas chapter, was distributed in four days. And a shocking total of 155 people found themselves depending on the Red Cross for help.

While the volunteers in disaster services were busy responding to dire needs from home and apartment fires, the polar opposite was happening in the Red Cross Blood Services unit. Due to unsafe roadways, blood drives in Dallas/Fort Worth were cancelled for an unprecedented four days. That, combined with the catastrophic winter weather nation-wide, has created a state of emergency. In total, the agency is down by 28,000 pints of blood. A unit of blood can save up to three lives.

In a rare move, the American Red Cross in Dallas, Texas has issued an emergency appeal for financial and blood donations in order to replace the supply that has been deleted.

“We need money to respond to disasters, and we need blood to save lives”, said Cheryl Sutterfield-Jones, chief executive officer, American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter. “So we’re urging our community to take action this week. You want your Red Cross to be able to respond on a moment’s notice, and we can only do that with fully stocked shelves in our blood unit and in our disaster relief warehouse”.

To make a financial donation to the American Red Cross, go to www.redcrossdallas.org, text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 or call 214-678-4800.

To make a life-saving blood donation, go to www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS.

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