Red Cross Relief Efforts Continue Across The South, An Update from Cheryl Sutterfield-Jones

American Red Cross Responds To
Deadly Tornado Outbreak Across The South

Dear Friends,

Watching the tragic images unfold in so many states including Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas over the past week has been heartbreaking to say the least. Thousands of people are coping with tremendous loss of loved ones, their homes and irreplaceable memories.

While it may seem like we’re powerless to help when such a vast portion of the country has been devastated by the worst tornado outbreak in our nation’s history, help is likely easier than you think. In this update, I’ll share with you all of the ways that we can send your help to these countless communities from right here in Texas.

Please know that all of us at the American Red Cross - Dallas Area Chapter are committed to helping our neighbors move forward from these terrible storms. And you can be right there with us every step of the way. We can’t thank you enough for caring so much for others. Please accept our deepest gratitude and let me know if you have any questions that I don’t answer in this update.

Warmest Regards,
Cheryl Sutterfield-Jones, CEO
American Red Cross--Dallas Area Chapter

Current Operation Status

Red Cross disaster workers have been working tirelessly to help people in need, focusing on making sure people have a safe place to stay, food to eat, emotional support, basic health services and relief supplies. Early estimates show more than 13,000 homes across six states were destroyed or damaged by last week’s tornadoes. Now communities along the Mississippi River, that are only beginning to recover, are faced with the fear of widespread flooding.

Since March 31, the Red Cross has opened more than 130 shelters in 16 states providing more than 10,000 overnight stays to people in need. Tuesday night alone, more than 1,200 people spent the night in shelters in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, and North Carolina.

To date the American Red Cross has:

• Deployed more than 4,500 Red Cross workers from all 50 U.S. states to assist with recovery efforts. The Dallas Area Chapter has sent 7 volunteers to Alabama, 12 more to Mississippi so far with more local deployments anticipated.
  
  
• Worked with community partners like the Salvation Army and Southern Baptist Convention, to serve more than 560,000 meals and snacks.
  
  
• Sent 153 Red Cross emergency response vehicles to help distribute meals and supplies. The Dallas Area Chapter has sent one ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) to Mississippi.
  
  
• Distributed more than 253,000 relief items like hygiene kits, mops, brooms, tarps, shovels, work gloves and coolers to affected neighborhoods.
  
  

Telethons Hosted by Local Television Stations

Less than 24 hours after the storms hit, local TV stations reached out to the Dallas Area Chapter to host fundraising telethons for the Spring Storm Disaster Response. On Friday, April 29th, the American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter hosted telethons at WFAA Channel 8, CBS 11, and TXA 21 to collect financial donations. It could be considered an understatement to call the night successful raising over $50,000 in the span of about five hours. We owe a heartfelt thanks to all of our generous donors that called in to support the efforts of the Red Cross as numerous storms raged across nearly half the country.

How You Can Help

Any donation, large or small, will help. For example, $3 can provide a comfort kit for someone in a disaster. $6 can cover the cost of a blanket, $10 the cost of a hot meal. For $150, someone’s donation can cover the cost of providing food and shelter to a family of four for a day they spend in a shelter.

Donating is easy and only takes a moment. Those that want to help can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Top Headlines

American Red Cross President & CEO visits Birmingham, Alabama

Gail McGovern, American Red Cross President and CEO, joined Federal, State and local officials on a tour of tornado damage in one neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama. She describes what she saw, and the work of the Red Cross in the area. Watch the video

American Red Cross Responds to the unspeakable tornado destruction across Alabama

Words are not adequate to describe what the people of Alabama endured when Mother Nature unleashed her fury on April 27, 2011. The American Red Cross has fanned out across Alabama, and many others, doing everything possible to help. Watch the video

American Red Cross responds in 11 states to Spring Storms’ aftermath

From the Deep South to the Northeast, the American Red Cross is at work in 11 states to help people devastated by the recent deadly tornadoes and floods. Read more

American Red Cross ships desperately needed blood supplies to Alabama

The Red Cross is moving hundreds of blood products to Alabama to make sure hospital patients have the blood they need following the deadly tornadoes. Read more

You can get the latest developments by connecting with us!
Twitter | Facebook | Red Alert Blog | Red Cross Dallas Online

Tweet