Friday, September 02, 2011 — Going into Labor Day weekend, the American Red Cross continues to help communities that were impacted by Hurricane Irene, and is carefully monitoring a tropical depression that could bring torrential rain to parts of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Irene Response Continues
Nearly a week after Hurricane Irene made landfall, the Red Cross has provided more than 55,000 overnight shelter stays to people impacted by the storm. In communities stretching from North Carolina to Maine, the Red Cross is providing food, shelter, cleanup supplies and emotional support to those whose homes were affected by the hurricane.
In many ways, the cleanup can seem more daunting than the storm itself, as it stretches on for days and weeks.
Julie Gray came to the roadside in Kill Devil Hills, N.C., late Tuesday afternoon to accept free meals from a Red Cross mobile feeding vehicle. Volunteer Eilene Guy explained how the Red Cross helps victims of disaster, and volunteer Carrie Smith helped carry several hot meals of chicken, creamed potatoes and applesauce to Gray’s home.
Tears of fatigue and emotion brimmed in Gray’s eyes, even as she tried to maintain a brave face in the wake of Hurricane Irene’s destruction. A lifelong resident of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, she is finding the cleanup daunting.
When the Red Cross vehicle stopped at Gray’s waterfront home to deliver hot meals after a strenuous day of cleanup, she told volunteer Carrie Smith, “You can’t imagine what this means.”
The Red Cross is helping people all along the eastern seaboard as they cope with the devastation left behind by Hurricane Irene. Red Cross workers continue to operate shelters in seven states, serve meals, hand out relief supplies and offer emotional support.
To date, the Red Cross has:
Served more than 1 million meals and snacks. Nine kitchens capable of serving a total of about 150,000 hot meals each day are operating in North Carolina, Virginia and New York.
Provided about 55,000 overnight shelter stays in the last week to residents from North Carolina to New England.
Handed out more than 36,000 relief items like hygiene kits, mops, brooms, tarps, work gloves and coolers. A mobile-friendly version of our "Returning Home after a Hurricane or Flood Checklist" is available on www.redcross.org/mobile.
Provided more than 9,000 mental health and health services consultations.
Mobilized more than 5,000 Red Cross workers, many of whom worked side-by-side with community partners to make sure people get the help they need.
Our costs are growing by the hour. Our current estimate is that Red Cross relief services for Hurricane Irene could cost $10 million to $15 million. We haven’t raised anywhere near that amount yet, but the public has always come through for us when Americans need help – and we really need your help now.
The American Red Cross is not a government agency. We rely on donations from the public to provide our services. To make a donation visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
It’s important to remember that even as the Red Cross is responding to Irene, we have also been responding to other disasters down the street and across the country – and we must continue to raise money to support those relief efforts.
Donations to American Red Cross Disaster Relief ensure that no matter where a disaster happens, the Red Cross can respond without delay. Unrestricted gifts are preferred because these donations make it possible for the Red Cross to help people before and after any disaster – such as a wildfire, flooding, tornado or hurricane – no matter when or where.
More preparedness information can be found on www.redcross.org.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.