Special Support for Superstorm Sandy Victims: An Inspiring Donation from Dunaway Elementary School in Waxahachie

Written by Kay Pinkerton, volunteer contributor

Three months after Hurricane Sandy slammed into the Northeastern United States, families remain devastated in its wake.  The American Red Cross has committed to remain in the affected region to help storm victims rebuild their lives.  Among those providing the Red Cross with financial support are Dunaway Elementary School students in Waxahachie, Texas. 

During a Feb. 4 school assembly, American Red Cross Disaster Relief representatives accepted a $600 check from Dunaway’s students, teachers and staff.  The money resulted from a Nov. 26-Dec. 21 fundraiser benefitting victims of Hurricane Sandy.  The fund drive was spearheaded by fourth-graders Isabella (“Bella”) Errisuriz and her best friend, Cera Trevino. 

In a short, prepared speech, Bella acknowledged the other students for sharing in the fundraiser.  “I’d like to thank everyone for giving my dream a chance.”

Cera gave a pep talk as well.

“You got this from coins and dollar bills that were wadded up in your couch,” she said to her classmates. “But today isn’t about us.  It’s about Hurricane Sandy victims.  Imagine what they went through, losing everything they have.”

Red Cross Disaster Relief representatives Sara Littleton and Sylvia Hernandez spoke to the students during the assembly. Both women were deployed to the East Coast after Sandy made landfall.

In recognition of Bella’s and Cera’s outstanding work, Littleton and Hernandez gave each girl an American Red Cross Certificate of Appreciation.  The women also praised those who were sitting in the audience.   

“Bella and Cera have a wonderful thing going,” said Littleton.  “They got the rest of you involved, and look what you did!  The money will be used to help people just as you intended.”

The “Master of Big”

When Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast in late October, Bella was moved by a broadcast news story highlighting the plight of its victims.  

“The people looked very sad and scared when it happened,” she said.   

Determined to get involved, Bella enlisted the help of her best friend, Cera.  They brainstormed several ideas – even during sleepovers.  Once the girls had a list of ideas, they approached Dunaway school counselor Jennifer Wilson.  Wilson helped them sharpen their focus and select a workable plan.

“I was glad to see them wanting to do something to help others,” said Wilson.  “They started out with a huge project. I helped them narrow it down a bit.”

Bella confirmed her inclination for thinking large.  “I’m the master of big,” she said.  

Wilson introduced the girls to the Red Cross as a credible source for the donated funds.  

“At the time, my family and I were texting donations to the Red Cross,” said Wilson. “So I led the girls in that direction.”

With guidelines in place, the girls took over.

“They are the ones who made the project such a great success,” Wilson said.  

After the Storm

Stories of Sandy’s victims from the Red Cross emphasize the need for continued financial, material and emotional support.  Hernandez, who deployed to the Northeastern United States one month after Sandy’s landfall, recalled a discussion with a New Yorker who was living in her severely damaged house.

“She didn’t want to leave her home.  Even though she had no electricity, no food – nothing,” said Hernandez. “So we gave her two cases of heater meals – those you don’t need to heat up.  And we gave her blankets.  She was really, really cold.”

Public Generosity

Causing tens of billions in property damage, Hurricane Sandy ranks as one of the United States’ costliest hurricanes.

The Red Cross has received more than $254 million in donations and pledges for Sandy. By January 31, the Red Cross had spent or made commitments to spend an estimated $145 million. The remaining donations will be used to help individuals and communities affected by the storm with their long-term needs. This spending, which represents both direct services and support provided to other agencies, is more than half of the money received in the first three months.

 “This is a large amount of money to be spent in such a short period of time, but as has been seen in other disasters, recovery is a marathon, not a sprint,” said American Red Cross President and Chief Executive Officer Gail McGovern.  “However long it takes, the Red Cross is committed that money donated for Sandy will stay in those communities to help the people affected by this disaster.”

More information on the Red Cross’ role in Hurricane Sandy’s emergency relief and recovery can be found at www.redcross.org/sandy-response.    Information on conducting a fundraiser on behalf of the Red Cross is located at http://www.redcross.org/support/donating-fundraising/fundraising-licensing.

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2012: A Year in Red Cross Review

written by Anita Foster, staff contributor

Anita Foster, Ameican Red Cross Chief Communications Officer, spends time with a shelter resident in West Liberty, Kentucky, following the country's first devastating tornado outbreak of 2012.

For most of us, flipping the calendar to a brand new year is so exciting. We can look ahead with great optimism, while looking back with reflection and lessons learned. At the Red Cross, we do exactly that. We reflect back on all of the people that we collectively helped, and we look forward to the coming year. One of my colleagues asked me to share with you some of my memories from 2012 and I'm so honored to do that. Some are joyful. Others are painful. But our work together rallies us to achieve our mission no matter the circumstance. I know that no matter where I'm sent, I'm there because you give to the Red Cross and make our work possible.

In February, albeit early for tornado season, I jumped on an airplane and headed to Tennessee ahead of what was shaping up to be a deadly tornado outbreak. After riding out the storms, we learned that all weather reports were correct. A deadly series of tornadoes had taken their toll across Indiana and Kentucky. Hundreds of people were injured. 41 didn't survive.

I was sent from Tennessee into a small Kentucky town called West Liberty. With a population of around 3,500, it's one of those towns where everyone knows everyone, and you knew it right away.

The Red Cross shelter had hundreds of people staying there, most families with small children. They simply had nowhere else to go because not only were most of the homes in the town destroyed, so was their town. The police station, fire station, library, city hall and almost every school were reduced to utter rubble. But their spirit as a town was not broken. I'll never forget meeting Stacey LeMaster, a young mother, who tried so hard to stay strong for her kids. She was representative of everyone we met. In this short video, you'll meet Stacey and gain of sense of what this town endured when Mother Nature swept through with her fury. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0mefKJItqc&list=HL1355770271&feature=mh_lolz

Barely home from the relief operation in Kentucky, it was our turn to contend with severe weather. Who in North Texas can forget April 3, 2012? With little warning, the skies began to rotate all across the Metroplex and before we knew it, 17 tornadoes had impacted thousands of lives. But true to course, the North Texas Region sprang into action as soon as it was safe. Shelters were opened, meals were prepared, partnerships were forged and Piper the Puppy made his way into the arms of scores of children. It is so powerful to know that our Tiffany Circle members in Dallas created the Piper project. Being able to see so many children across the Metroplex light up when they got their Piper was priceless. Take a look at this photo slide show of kids loving on their Piper.  http://redcrossdallas.blogspot.com/2012/04/pipers-new-parents-caring-for-littlest.html

For weeks, Red Cross workers helped families around the clock because of the local tornado outbreak. But none of us ever lost sight of the fact that our community did not suffer a loss of life. It's impossible to imagine when looking at the damage, but everyone survived. Take a look at this minute and a half video to reflect on the amount of damage sustained in our community, and the amount of help you provided. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAe85h1X_d4

And then came hurricane season. A couple of near misses had us on alert, but when Hurricane Isaac formed and started moving towards New Orleans, we quickly found ourselves with a shelter open and evacuees arriving. Partnering with Faith Bible Church in DeSoto, we were able to provide care and comfort to those who lost their homes south of the New Orleans area. Over a two week period, we were able to help everyone return to Louisiana so that they could begin on their road to recovery. We'll always be gratful to the good people at Faith Bible Church who took their Red Cross training when the sky was blue. Meet Pastor Andy in this one-minute video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl4KDBliJpY

Nearing the backside of hurricane season, Sandy began to form in late October. As the days wore on, it became clearer, and scarier, that Sandy was going to directly impact the most populous region in the United States. And she did just that. To date, your North Texas Region has sent nearly 150 of our relief workers to help across New York and New Jersey. Many will be deployed over the holidays, far from their own families. The amount of destruction is simply indescribable and the amount of need is too. It is times like this when we all must band together to get help to people. And you helped us do that. The statistics are astounding:

• 8,718,832 meals and snacks served
• 6,564,100 relief items distributed
• 98,259 health and mental health contacts
• 1,889 disaster workers currently assigned to operations (To date there have been 15,642 disaster responders assigned to the Hurricane Sandy operations)

Sadly, we end 2012 with one of the worst human tragedies any of us can imagine; a gunman opening fire on small children in a suburban elementary school. We grapple with trying to understand how something like that could happen. Why children? What is the connection between these children and the gunman? What can we do to help because we feel so helpless? I am no expert on how anyone should cope with such a tragedy, but I will share with you something I learned after responding to a similar circumstance.

On September 15, 1999, a gunman entered Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth where high school kids were gathered at a prayer rally. He was heavily armed and discharged more than 100 rounds of ammunition and exploded a homemade pipe bomb inside the sanctuary before taking his own life. Seven people died at the scene. Seven others were critically injured, some paralyzed for life.

The faces of the families who came to realize that their children were not accounted for are forever etched on my mind and on my heart. To this day, I cannot speak of this response without tears.

In time, here's what I learned that helped me cope. We won't ever understand why someone would do this. Ever. There simply aren't answers. But we're not helpless to help because we're Red Crossers. While we're not in the media spotlight during times like this, we were at Columbine High School. And at Wedgwood Baptist Church; Virginia Tech; a movie theater in Colorado and since that horrible Friday, with the people in Newtown, Connecticut.

Our teams help facilitate mental health counseling and provide food, water and emotional support for the emergency workers at the scene. I saw it happen at Wedgwood Baptist Church and I know it mattered. In the weeks and months ahead, families of the deceased wrote us letters to thank us for our care and compassion. Kids drew us pictures to say thanks for helping and the church itself showed its gratitude with a special tribute to Red Cross workers and other emergency responders. Because you are a part of the Red Cross, you can know in your heart that you've already helped the people in Newtown. And I have no doubt that in time, they will also come to appreciate you for it.

I want to thank you for being a Red Cross supporter. Without you, our teams aren't able to be beside families when they need us most. We wouldn't be able to teach someone CPR or your grandkids how to swim and military families would be left to their own devices to stay connected during deployments. You do so much to alleviate suffering.

When we turn the calendar page to reflect a brand new 2013, we do so knowing that we don't have a crystal ball for the year ahead, but no matter what, even in the worst of times, we'll be there. Together.

To make a year end gift to the Red Cross or to learn more about volunteering in the new year, visit redcross.org.

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Why I Believe in the American Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog

Written by George McCain, volunteer contributor

The holidays are filled with symbols from decorated trees, to religious emblems and characters on lawns, to stockings hung waiting to be filled.  This is a great time of year to honor your loved ones and friends with symbolic gifts given through the American Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog.

Let those who are special to you receive a gift that connects them to helping people.  Through your gift you, and the special people in your life, will know you contributed to assisting a family in crisis, saving a child’s life in a developing country, or supporting a military service member and their family.

Red Cross responders bring comfort to fire victims in the Dallas area around the clock, averaging between 3-5 fire repsonses a day.



Red Cross volunteers reach out and help families after a disaster.  Imagine a family after a house fire.  Volunteers are there to comfort, assist, and assess the life changing damage.  A Red Cross Disaster Action Team can provide resources and emotional support to victims of disasters.  A child in these circumstances needs comfort and a sense of security.  You and the special people in your life, through your gift, can provide a Red Cross blanket and a sense of comfort for that child.  You’ll both know that it is delivered with a smile from a trained Red Cross volunteer.

Laura from Dallas knew the Red Cross would bring her son home when she discovered she had terminal cancer. Her former coworkers still hold a Red Cross blood drive in her honor every year.

Imagine an injured military service member recovering in a hospital.  You and the special people in your life, through your gift, help provide a comfort kit filled with hygiene items, reminding that service member they are not forgotten.  Your gift also provides phone cards for those lonesome and homesick heroes wanting to call home and talk to family members. Sometimes the best gift you can give someone is knowing that on the other side of the world, someone is getting to share in those same loving conversations this holiday that we so enjoy.

Children are given life saving vaccinations through the Red Cross Measles Initiative.



Giving in honor of those special people in your life impacts beyond the holidays and the borders of the USA.  Your gift can help an impoverished family in a developing country reconnect with a missing loved one through the Red Cross International Services Program.  Imagine the relief and joy of such a reunion, and you helped provided it.  Think of the sad stories that will never occur because your gift, in honor of friend, provides vaccinations that saved children’s lives in a developing country.

Give this season through the American Red Cross 2012 Holiday Giving Catalog.  You will know you are helping people.  You can share that joy and good cheer by giving in honor of the special people in your life.

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Bringing Aid with Lemonade: A Hurricane Sandy Story

Written by Amy Yen, volunteer contributor

As you know, the American Red Cross has had a busy couple of weeks. So far in our massive relief response to Superstorm Sandy, we’ve served more than 4.8 million meals and snacks, provided more than 70,100 overnight stays at shelters, made more than 43,800 health services and emotional support contacts and handed out more than 477,700 relief items in ten states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

We’ve been able to do all of this because of the incredible outpouring of support from Americans all over the country. This includes two boys in Fort Worth who set out to make a difference with the most iconic of American youth traditions: the lemonade stand.

Thomas Danzi and Jack Fulton, both five years old, earned nearly $1,000 with their lemonade stand, which they donated to the American Red Cross’s disaster relief efforts.

Thomas and Jack at their lemonade stand benefitting the American Red Cross.



 When Thomas wanted to set up a stand, his mother, Katie Danzi, suggested they donate the funds to help others. Although, Thomas might have a little different idea of what the money is being used for.

“I asked him, ‘Do you think the people from the hurricane would need the money?’” said Katie, “And he said, ‘Yeah Mama, we’ll send it to all of them so they can buy dump trucks!’”

Katie said they did their research on where their money would make the biggest difference: “I’ve been keeping up with updates about the hurricane and there’s been a lot of debate about who the best organization was to give your money to to help. The consensus was the Red Cross was on the ground and was the most visible presence there, so that’s why we decided to go with them.”

So, armed with cookies, lemonade and homemade receipts made with Lego stickers, the boys set up shop in their neighborhood. The response was astounding.

“It was really amazing how generous everyone was. A lot of people weren’t really stopping to get the lemonade. They were just pulling up and giving us $20 bills and someone gave us a $100 bill,” said Katie. “We had signs that had Red Cross on them and I don’t really think people really needed to know any more than that. They were comfortable with where the money was going. People were very, very generous.”

All in all, the lemonade stand was a great success. Not only did it earn $947 toward the Red Cross’s Sandy relief efforts, Thomas and Jack learned the money went toward a little more than dump trucks.

Thomas and Jack make their first donation to the Red Cross after a tour of the Chisholm Trail Chapter from American Red Cross North Texas Region CEO, T.D. Smyers. They did see trucks!



 “We had a box where we were putting the money and sometimes people would ask Thomas and Jack, ‘Hey guys, where’s the money going?’ and they would say, ‘In the box.’ But I think they got it in the end. It was a great life lesson,” said Katie. “That’s why, when we went to the Red Cross office to drop off the money, we wanted to make sure to bring them so they could grasp where the money was going and why, and that they saw all the pictures of the devastation and what the Red Cross was doing to help.”

It made an impression: “Thomas asked when we could do another lemonade stand and I said, I don’t know, and he said, ‘Maybe when there’s a tornado?’ He was already thinking of how to help at the next disaster.”

It turns out, Thomas and Jack’s lemonade stand made an even bigger difference than just the money they raised. Katie shared a picture of the stand on a Facebook page for Jersey Shore Hurricane News, where it quickly liked more than 1,350 times and shared more than 1,300 times. It gave hope to people in the area and even inspired several other lemonade stands around the country.

Relief efforts for Superstorm Sandy are ongoing. More than 4,500 people remain in shelters and Emergency Response Vehicles continue to serve hot meals and give out supplies on the ground. If you’d like to donate, you can visit RedCross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999 for a fast $10 donation. Thank you again to everyone who’s already generously donated!

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New Website for Red Cross Equals New Opportunitites to Prepare

It's new. It's improved. And it's all about you! Red Cross DFW has launched a new website and we hope you'll take a tour, a class and maybe even get involved. Listen to Dan Halyburton, one of our Public Affairs volunteers, as he walks you through the new site. While you can still get to our site by visiting www.redcrossdallas.org, we've  joined with our sister city in the Metroplex-Fort. Worth, and will include information pertaining to the entire metroplex area. We hope to see you there!

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Increase your Impact with Get Up and Give! Through Donor Bridge

Written by Lilly Watson, staff contributor

September 13^th is a special day for you and the American Red Cross North Texas Region!

 As one of our friends, you have the opportunity to give online through Donor Bridge and have your gift of $25 or more matched to increase the impact of your gift and help us bring more of our important services to victims of disaster in North Texas.

Here at the Red Cross, it’s all about making an impact. Whether it’s the blanket and Piper the Puppy that keeps a child comforted in one of our shelters or the hot cup of coffee and safe place to stay for a person whose home caught fire, the Red Cross is there. We’re also there for the military family coping through a family crisis while a loved one is deployed, and for the person who can’t find their loved ones in a war-torn nation. Down the street, across the country and around the globe, the American Red Cross serves people in need every day. 

Our volunteers are trained to serve when disaster strikes and that service makes an impact. The 7,674 registered volunteers with the American Red Cross North Texas Region worked a total of 1,030,815 hours for our organization, expecting nothing in return but the satisfaction they get from helping others. That is an overall economic value of more than $22 million! A staff of 98.7% volunteers means more of your donated dollar going to more of our services – around the clock, every day.

When you give to the Red Cross, you are making a gift that can and will go on to serve people affected by disaster. Disaster has no timeline or preference when it comes to choosing where it will strike. We work to serve all people facing disaster, and your gift keeps us able to serve anyone at any time. 

North Texas Giving Day is an online giving event that provides nonprofits the opportunity to gain exposure to -- and start relationships with -- new donors, and for people in North Texas to come together to raise as much money as possible for local nonprofits.

Please join us for Get Up and Give on September 13 to make an impact!

All credit card gifts made on the Donor Bridge website from 7am CST – Midnight on Thursday, September 13, will be matched by the Communities Foundation of Texas. Get Up and Give a gift online from your computer or smartphone to be part of this incredible day of fundraising!

Ready to increase your impact while serving victims of disaster through the American Red Cross North Texas Region? There are three easy ways to find us on donorbridgetx.org:

1. Name Search: Enter “American Red Cross North Texas Region” in the search field and hit Search
2. Alpha Search: click on the letter of the first word in your name. ex: Click "A” to find American Red Cross North Texas Region.
3. Category Search: Click on the category of your organization. American Red Cross North Texas Region is in the Human Services category!

To make your online credit card gift of $25.00 or more to the American Red Cross North Texas Region through Get Up and Give, click here. We thank you for your support!

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Red Cross Supporter Jackie Stevens’ Mother’s Day Gift: A Daughter Giving Back

Written by Catherine Carlton, volunteer contributor

Claire Stevens sings with her heart and giving spirit at her coffee house fundraiser earlier this month.



Jackie Stevens has made the importance of giving back an ongoing lesson for her third-grade daughter, Claire.

It started with a specific piggy bank for charity efforts, which sat alongside two other banks: one for savings and one for spending. She has great pride in her daughter’s recent endeavor in giving back to her community – and so do we.

After seeing coverage of the DFW tornados last month, Claire suggested she do something to help the Red Cross help the families impacted by the storms. “We could make money for the Red Cross when we do a coffee house,” Claire told her mom.

Claire has been taking piano lessons for about 18 months and recently connected that she could use her music to help others. When a family friend who goes to the same music school as Claire asked her to play at a coffee house with him, she suggested that they use the show to raise money for the Red Cross. Claire’s fellow performer was immediately on board and thought the idea was awesome.

“She was so excited to help,” Jackie said, noting Claire knew that the storms meant some kids lost their homes, their stuffed animals, their toys and even their puppies. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to come home from school and not have your house and your room.

Jackie added, “We were so proud that we offered to match their donations.”
In total, Claire and her fellow performer donated $204.28. The end feeling became infectious in Claire, who is already thinking about her next charitable endeavor. “We can do it again and get more people to come and we can raise more money,” Claire explained to her mom.

“As a mom you talk to your kids about a lot of things, big and small, and how they should respond,” Jackie said. “And you hope when situations arise they will make good decisions and follow through. You hope that they are understanding why philanthropy is so important, and that you’re doing a good job of being a positive role model. When you realize they get it, it’s such a great feeling. I’m really proud.”

The American Red Cross, commonly referred to as “The World’s Greatest Mother,” wishes everyone a Happy Mothers Day. We know that the spirit of giving often begins at home, and we appreciate you and what you do to teach the idea of giving back and helping organizations like the Red Cross.

How did you learn to give back to your community?

Jackie shared, “I learned about giving back from watching my parents who never made a big deal about the things they did to help and they were always there for me and my sisters. My husband is also a big believer in charity so when Claire was about 3, we started the piggy banks and modeling an attitude of giving back. We have a ‘Thanksgiving Clean Out’ the weekend after Thanksgiving and we donate clothes and toys to Goodwill every year. We donate clothes to Catholic Charities throughout the year and started a tradition of donating to the North Texas Food Bank in the names of Claire's teachers/administrative team at Christmas.”

To follow 9-year-old Claire’s example and make a donation to the Red Cross, visit us online at redcross.org, text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

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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.

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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

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Local Telethons Raise Money to Support Disaster Relief Efforts Across the South

On Friday, April 29th, the American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter hosted telethons at three local television stations to collect donations primarily benefiting the Spring Storms Disaster Response. 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.

We would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to the stations that held these telethons for us making it all possible. In Dallas, we had the support of our exclusive media partner for the Dallas Area Chapter’s 100th Anniversary, WFAA Channel 8. In Fort Worth, we received a warm welcome from the CBS 11 and TXA 21 teams. These stations all reached out to the Red Cross less than 24 hours after deadly tornadoes ripped through several states including Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas.

As always, we were very dependent on our volunteers to staff the phone banks and getting so many people placed in multiple areas on short notice took some work but we made it happen. In all, we had about 36 volunteers step up to help take your calls. A definite hats-off to all of them for so thoughtfully giving their time!

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Little Hands Make Big Change

We would like to thank Allen Elementary for supporting the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. They raised more than $1,000 for Kindness and Compassion.

Maureen Gargiulo, pictured on the left in the Red Cross vest, attended the school assembly and thanked the children for helping to turn heartbreak into hope.

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Haiti Earthquake: Relief Update #7

This weekend, special Red Cross teams trained in search and rescue were able to save 40 people from a collapsed supermarket, including a small child, after 26 hours continuous efforts. Please remain hopeful for the people of Haiti. View More Photos

Without a doubt, this is a massive urban disaster of unprecedented proportions, and we know that this is going to be a costly long-term recovery operation.

As of January 17, we have raised more than $103 million for relief efforts. If you have not had a opportunity to help yet or if you would like to do more, here's how you can make a difference in the lives of the Haiti people:

• 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)
• 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish)
• Make a secure donation online at www.redcrossdallas.org/haiti
• Mail: American Red Cross P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter, 4800 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75235.
• Text “Haiti” to 90999 to send a $10 donation to the Red Cross. 100% of donations will support the Red Cross.
• Drop off donations at any of these authorized Red Cross collections sites: Kroger, Lowe's, Starbucks or Tom Thumb Stores.
• WFAA will be conducting a phone bank on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during their 5pm and 6pm newscasts. Red Cross volunteers will be on hand to accept donations from viewers.
  

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Denton Corn Dog Fundraiser A HUGE Success!

At the Denton Holiday Lighting Festival on December 3, Denton volunteers held a successful corn dog fundraiser!

Their overwhelming success was largely due to continuous caroling of the new “sure to be Holiday hit” Jingle Dogs written by our own Stan Bugala. The festivity at our booth was greatly enhanced by the fabulous jingling antlers that added to our holiday head gear, thanks to Millie Bell. And a BIG thanks to Cara for the use of the cooking facilities at the Quality Inn.

The group sold out by 7:45pm and raised $240.

While it does may not seem like a lot, $240 can help the American Red Cross provide 2 hot meals to 12 people or provide food and shelter for 5 people who have lost their home because of a disaster like a home fire.

Happy Holidays!

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Good Eats, Delicious Treats, Help Those in Need

Mmmmmm... Do I ever love eatin' good in the neighborhood. Yes, I mean Applebees riblets. They sure are messy, but they are worth every bite.

To share our love for mainstream American cuisine, you too can get your philanthropy on by using this flier at the Greenville Applebees on Sept. 21st or Rockwall Applebees on Sept. 24th. (Stay tuned for dates at the Terrell Applebees.) Then, Applebees wlll donate 15% of your bill right back here to the Dallas Area Chapter. With the donations collected, we can continue to save and rebuild lives of our fellow north Texans.

Print this flier and go grab some grub. I'll race you to the riblets!

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Target's Bullseye Give Campaign Wraps Up

We are excited to announce that thanks to you, the American Red Cross won 26 percent of the votes in Target’s Bullseye Gives Facebook campaign! We asked for your daily votes during the campaign and you delivered - you, your friends, and our fellow Red Crossers voted more than 75,000 times, earning the American Red Cross a share of $793,942. This was a real team effort, and it was great to see us all come together to support the Red Cross.

The money you helped raise will be used to change lives around the country and around the world. Did you know that every 24 hours all Red Crosses come together to provide the following services?

• Red Cross volunteers help 200 families who lost everything in a house fire or other disaster
• The Red Cross connects deployed service members with their families 475 times
• 19,000 people outside the United States receive urgent care from the Red Cross following a disaster
• 21,000 people receive a blood transfusion from a Red Cross donor
• 43,000 people receive life-saving Red Cross health, safety and preparedness training
• 290,000 children receive a measles vaccination from the Red Cross and its partners

You’re making an incredible impact in the world every day in your work, and your votes during this campaign will help us to continue changing lives. Thank you!

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Donate via Instant Message or Email

For a third year, the Red Cross is participating in the i'm Initiative, a program that allows people to support our disaster relief efforts through Windows LiveTM Messenger and Hotmail. By selecting the Red Cross as your charity of choice, Microsoft will make a donation to the Disaster Relief Fund with every instant message conversation and Hotmail message you have using i'm. There’s no limit on the amount donated, but there is a guaranteed minimum donation of $100,000. There is no fee for joining or using Windows Live Messenger, and signing up is quick and easy. Visit http://im.live.com to join.

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We need your help!

From May 10 until May 25, Target is allowing its Facebook “friends” and store guests to choose which of 10 national charities and causes, including the American Red Cross, should receive a portion of $3 million in charitable giving from Target.

We want you to help us round up every Red Cross worker and volunteer, every friend and family member, every donor and every possible supporter to go to Target’s Bullsesye Gives page on Facebook and vote Red Cross. The bottom line is that all votes translate into dollars for our programs, so call your supporters and tell them, “Your Vote = Your Gift.” Remind them that visitors can vote once per day, every day, throughout the length of the contest. This contest has amazing potential to attract a new audience for us. You can vote for the Red Cross every day through May 25. As an additional bonus, Target will also use the contest to help to connect voters with volunteer opportunities in their local communities. The winners will be announced on May 26, and all funds donated to the Red Cross will be used to support our lifesaving programs.

Please join us in spreading the word about this terrific contest. It’s a wonderful opportunity for all of us – every chapter, every Blood Services region, every line of business – to come together as one Red Cross to promote our services to people in urgent need around the corner, around the country and around the world.

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Local Volunteers Head to North Dakota Floods

The nation is frozen as we wait for the Red River to crest. The residents of North Dakota and surrounding communities have been dealt an unimaginable hand.

As always, the American Red Cross is on the ground to help families deal with their physical needs such as safe shelter and hot meals, as well as helping them with the emotional strain created by this "wait and see" disaster.

The American Red Cross - Dallas Area Chapter is helping too. One volunteer who specializes in Red Cross nursing services has already headed to the area and another will fly out from DFW Airport in the morning. More volunteers are standing by, waiting for the call to action.

Even if you're not going to North Dakota, you can still make a difference. Consider helping in a number of ways:

Call 1-800-RED CROSS or go to http://www.redcross.org to make a financial gift.

Become a volunteer by contacting the Dallas Area Chapter at http://www.redcrossdallas.org/. When the next disaster strikes, you'll be ready.

Give a pint of blood in honor of the thousands of people in North Dakota and Minnesota who can't do that right now. Call 1-800-GIVE LIFE or go to http://www.givelife.org/ to make an appointment today.

Keep up with the latest on the disaster relief operation by visiting the Red Cross Online Newsroom at http://newsroom.redcross.org/category/North-Central-Flooding-Mar-2009/.

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Curél® shares the Gift of Caring with the American Red Cross

Natural to man-made disasters. Helping neighbors in need. The Curél^® Skincare team generously donated $250,000 to the American Red Cross to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Curél^® is now challenging YOU. Do you have a friend who always seems to care about people in need? Dedicate a donation from the Curél^® Skincare team to honor that friend. Simply click here to visit the Curél^® website, and they will give $1 to the American Red Cross fund that receives the most votes (up to $10,000 total) when you tell a friend how much YOU care.

Thanks to Curel^® and to each of you for helping to spread this great news! Be sure you pick your friends wisely!

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