Red Cross Offers Support After Recent Floods

Photo by @qianliu on Twitter

Early in the morning of Thursday, July 13, dozens of Western and Central New York residents woke up to flash flood warnings on their cell phones, TV's and radios. In the Buffalo area, flash flooding was predicted to last from 10 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.. In under two hours, Buffalo got hit with 1.72 inches on rainfall and over 2 inches by the third hour, marking July 13th the wettest July day in almost 46 years. 

As the city of Buffalo and surrounding areas took on the torrential downpour, cars were submerged and homes were flooded. The streets were so submerged that children were swimming and playing games in the water.

Of course, with a weather disaster of this extent, the flooding caused in-home flood-related damage throughout the area. Once the Red Cross assessed that damage, it was decided that we should give clean up kits to those in need. The American Red Cross was prepared with over 100 clean up kits to distribute throughout several locations in the Western New York Area. 

Clean up kits included mops, buckets, bleach, a broom, a sponge and more to assist in clean up after a flood.  The initial date for the distribution of the clean up kits was July 16th, but that was extended throughout the week as the request for clean up kits increased. 

Clean up kits at the Harris Hills Methodist Church, Williamsville, NY

The majority of our clean up kits are kept at the Harris Hills Methodist Church in Williamsville, NY, where they were made available to the public the week after the flood. 

The Red Cross commends all of the rescue teams and the first responders of this disaster for all the lives saved and damaged prevented. As a second responder, the Red Cross is responsible in assisting those affected by disaster in whatever way we can, and we would like to thank our partners and volunteers in assembling and distributing our clean up kits during this disaster. Additionally, we would always like to thank our donors for making what we do possible. In fact, one week later, our volunteers were helping our neighbors in need again, after multiple tornadoes touched down in Western New York, and the Southern Tier dealt with more flooding.

You can help people affected by disasters like flooding and countless other crises by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. 

~Lily Kaufman, WNY Chapter Communications Intern

Seven Regional Volunteers Spending Holiday Serving in Storm Response Efforts

American Red Cross volunteers Lucille Frisicano of Webster and Diane Sargent of Lockport are deploying to Oklahoma Monday to assist in the Red Cross relief efforts following recent tornadoes and severe weather. Frisicano will serve as a Health Services Supervisor, while Sargent will be a Disaster Assessment Supervisor

Frisicano and Sargent become the sixth annd seventh volunteers from the Western and Central New York Region deployed to help in the Red Cross response to severe storms across the country:

NAME, HOMETOWN                   LOCATION               ACTIVITY

Lee Campfield, Apalachin                 Texas                          Feeding Supervisor

Tom Daley, Tonawanda                    Texas                          Client Casework

Lucille Frisicano, Webster                Oklahoma                   Health Services Supervisor

Greg Langen, Pittsford                      Texas                          Disaster Assessment

Donald Nelson, Endwell                   Texas                          Sheltering Supervisor

Sarah Perkins, Pittsford                    Texas                          Disaster Assessment
Diane Sargent, Lockport                   Oklahoma                  Disaster Assessment                  

The American Red Cross continues to help people affected by the ongoing severe weather, providing shelter, food and support as those impacted by the storms figure out what to do next.

 

Red Cross shelters are still open in Oklahoma and Texas. Red Cross workers have been providing shelter and food, cleaning supplies, health and mental health services, helping with damage assessment and meeting with families to help plan their next steps. Emergency response vehicles are traveling through the affected areas, bringing people food and relief supplies and Resource Centers are also open where people can come to be helped by multiple organizations. In the days and weeks ahead, the Red Cross will also provide health services and emotional support as residents begin to recover from the storms.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Nearly every second of every day, the Red Cross delivers help and hope. And we couldn’t be there without the generous support of the American public. On June 2, join the American Red Cross for our inaugural Giving Day, a 24-hour fundraising campaign to support those in need in communities across the country. Together, let’s go “all in” and make one day count. Schedule your donation today for Giving Day at redcross.org/givingday. You can also help build awareness by using the hashtag #allin1day on Twitter and Facebook.

Jennifer's deployment story

Jennifer Schaefer

Jennifer Schaefer of Syracuse recently returned after spending a week in Oklahoma, volunteering with Health Services as part of the Red Cross response to recent severe weather. We asked the registered nurse, who volunteers regularly with the Greater Rochester Chapter, to share her experience. Even though she says, "I always hate when people ask what I do on a deployment. I usually forget exactly what I do, to be honest. It is just a blur of days, people, late nights and early mornings," she provided this first-hand account of just one day on a deployment.

Deployment Day Two - Oklahoma City Disaster Response Operation:

Oklahoma Tornado damage. Photo credit: Jennifer Schaefer

It is always hard to describe what I do when people ask. I hold people's hands while they cry about losing their homes, family heirlooms, pets and loved ones. I make sure that the elderly woman who has not eaten in two days because she is living in a home with no electricity or working gas gets a hot meal, a promise of more hot meals and the option of a safer place to stay. 

I talk to other volunteers. I genuinely want to get to know my fellow Red Cross friends, but being a nurse puts a twist on social interaction. Being a nurse on a deployment means every interaction is evaluated, every person's needs are checked. I ended up pulling a volunteer off the job today because he was trying to work his shift after having an eye exam that left his vision blurry. These volunteers never think about themselves, so it is my job to always ask and evaluate.
As a nurse, there is no "downtime." I am checking on my roommate as she shares about her day. I ask my waitress at breakfast how the storms have affected her life and community. I even self-check. I    make time to go to the gym or talk to my family. I give hugs, rides to fellow volunteers and advice. I say, "Thank You. Thank You. Thank You." 

Oklahoma Tornado damage. Photo credit: Jennifer Schaefer

It is hard to worry yourself, about your own problems, when you see the destroyed homes and children's toys broken and upturned. It is difficult to hold back the tears sometimes, but most of all it is difficult to not be grateful. I can see how lucky I truly am and that is what keeps me coming back.

I not only help others rebuild their lives but I rebuilt my own. I started volunteering after I lost two loved ones, a job and a relationship in a short period of time. I was lost and more depressed then I had ever been in my life. That was over a year and a half ago. Today, I have my dream job working with the New York State Department of Health. I get to help children be safer and healthier every day, and you know why I got the job?  The people I interviewed with valued my volunteer service. The American Red Cross turned my life around and helped me find my true calling in my darkest moments. So what else can I say but thank you...


No, Jennifer. Thank YOU for all you do for the Red Cross and the community. Welcome home!

If Jennifer's story has inspired you, click here to learn more about how you can become a Red Cross volunteer!

The Importance of Being Prepared

Unfortunately, between fires, drownings and even a possible tornado, we've had several recent incidents across the Western New York/Finger Lakes Region that remind us that disaster can strike anywhere, anytime. These tragedies are why we preach emergency preparedness and encourage everyone to take steps now to keep their family safe.

The most recent incident occurred late Tuesday evening, when a storm tore the roof off at least one home and knocked out power for hundreds in the Chemung County town of Baldwin. As the National Weather Service investigates to see if the damage was caused by a possible tornado, (UPDATE: The National Weather Service has since confirmed that a tornado did touch down in Baldwin) Red Cross Disaster Assessment volunteers are also on the ground, gathering the information we'll need to help the community recover from this storm.

Unfortunately, Upstate New York is become all too familiar with tornadoes this summer, and one way to prepare is to download the FREE Red Cross Tornado App. In addition to severe weather alerts that will let your family know when to take cover, the app also provides safety tips so you're family will know what to do if a storm rolls into your area.

The long holiday weekend also provided a tragic reminder of the importance of water safety after three drownings in Erie County. The summer may be coming to a close, but pools are still open, and natural bodies of water never close. Please, do whatever you can to help prevent these unthinkable tragedies. Make sure that you and your family learn to swim and take the proper safety precautions. Take a CPR/First Aid class and download the free First Aid app to help help you respond if an emergency does occur.

And the Labor Day weekend provided no break for our volunteers, who have responded to eight fires in Erie, Niagara and Orleans Counties alone since Saturday, providing food, clothing, comfort and support for 32 people, including four Tuesday evening in Lyndonville.

The American Red Cross is currently partnering with New York State to offer Governor Andrew Cuomo's Citizen Preparedness Corps training program, "Prepare, Respond, Recover: What to do When Disaster Strikes." The program provides residents with the tools and knowledge to prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond accordingly and recover to pre-disaster conditions as quickly as possible. If you'd like to help your community stay safe by scheduling a Citizen Preparedness Corps training at your school, business or other organization, please email Justin Pitts or call (716) 878-2238.

Tornado App "interruptions" can be life-saving

I was having a nice, leisurely Sunday dinner with the family yesterday afternoon when our meal was interrupted by a phone going off. Normally, I would be embarrassed to admit it was my phone that ruined the conversation, but not in this case. You see, it wasn't just a text or an email I was getting, it was a tornado warning alert from my Red Cross Tornado App, and it could have been a life-saver.

Because of my role with the Western New York/Finger Lakes Region, I have set my app to monitor all 17 counties that we cover. This alert did not affect Wayne County, where my family was enjoying dinner with my folks, so no action was needed on our part. However, had we been in Schuyler or Chemung Counties, we would've known it was time to take immediate action and head to the basement until the danger had passed.

This morning, the National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF-1 Tornado did touch down in Schuyler County on Sunday. Thankfully, the Red Cross has only been asked to help one family whose home was severely damaged in the Town of Reading, but this storm comes just a week our Central New York neighbors were devastated by a tornado that unfortunately claimed four lives in Smithfield.

Clearly, the danger of tornadoes is real for those of us in Western New York and the Finger Lakes, and the time to prepare is now. Please download the FREE Tornado App for your iPhone or Android device today and get real-time severe weather alerts and information wherever you currently are. Once you have the App, follow the preparedness tips it provides, things like putting together an emergency kit and creating a household plan. Then, should the tornado warning alert where you are--and trust me, no one will be upset about that interruption--you'll be prepared to keep your family safe.

Eight Regional Volunteers Deployed to Assist in Response to Major Storms

Diane Sargent of Lockport and Pete Swales of Springville
fill out paperwork prior to deploying to Pensacola, FL to
do Disaster Assessment in flooded regions

The American Red Cross response to this week’s devastating floods and tornadoes stretches across 13 states where Red Cross workers are providing shelter, food, health and mental health services to people impacted by the storm.

As people begin the monumental task this weekend of starting to clean up their neighborhoods, the Red Cross will be handing out relief supplies like brooms, buckets, gloves, shovels, rakes and tarps throughout many affected communities.

Disaster Mental Health volunteers Marianna Elliott of Hamburg and Sue Olexenko of Amherst will be deploying to Arkansas on Saturday to provide emotional support for affected residents there. A total of eight volunteers from across the 17-county Western New York/Finger Lakes Region have been deployed to assist in the Red Cross response these to these devastating storms. A full list is below.

NAME	HOMETOWN	DEPLOYMENT LOCATION	DATE	ACTIVITY
Robert Barton	Savannah	Mississippi	05/01	Mass Care/Feeding
Marianna Elliott	Hamburg	Arkansas	05/03	Disaster Mental Health
Sue Olexenko	Amherst	Arkansas	05/03	Disaster Mental Health
Dr. Alani Santos	Brighton	Arkansas	05/01	Disaster Health Services
Diane Sargent	Lockport	Florida	05/02	Disaster Assessment
Ferris Todd	Canandaigua	Arkansas	05/02	Disaster Mental Health
Pete Swales	Springville	Florida	05/02	Disaster Assessment
Tom Wallace	Elmira	Mississippi	05/02	Disaster Mental Health

Red Cross workers are helping people in Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and North Carolina. Hundreds of people are staying in Red Cross and community shelters in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi and North Carolina. Red Cross workers also are providing meals, health and mental health services.

  

In total, more than 1,200 trained Red Cross workers and 60 emergency vehicles are helping in the hardest hit communities. As of Friday, volunteers have already served more than 70,000 meals and snacks, and handed out 11,000 essential relief items to people in need.

The Red Cross will be on the ground for weeks supporting those affected. As people begin to recover from the storm, Red Cross workers will join with local community partners to provide additional services. For example, in some areas the Red Cross will help to open community resource centers bringing all of the organizations and agencies together in one convenient location to help those affected. Red Cross caseworkers will also meet one-on-one with people to create recovery plans, navigate paperwork and locate help from other agencies.

HOW TO HELP Those who would like to help people affected by disasters like tornadoes, floods and other crises can make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. People can donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. 

WNY Red Cross Volunteer Deploying to Oklahoma

Tornado relief will continue over Memorial Day Weekend

BUFFALO, NY, May 24, 2013 – An American Red Cross volunteer from Western New York is deploying to assist in the tornado relief efforts in Oklahoma. Tom Daley of Tonawanda is scheduled to leave Saturday and will serve in Client Casework, meeting one-on-one with affected residents to determine their needs. 

 A Red Cross volunteer gives supplies to a soldier from
Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma who is helping
families clean up after the tornado.
Photo by Jason Colston/American Red Cross 

The American Red Cross tornado relief effort in Oklahoma will continue through the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Emergency aid stations and shelters will be open and disaster workers will be handing out food and relief supplies to those affected by this week’s devastating storms.

Ten emergency aid stations are open where people can come to get food, relief supplies, health and mental health care and information about what other help is available. In addition, meals are available at feeding sites and being distributed throughout the community, along with relief supplies.

Red Cross and community shelters are open in Oklahoma and Texas following tornadoes over the past week, and more than 600 people spent Thursday night in those shelters. The Red Cross has also:

• Provided more than 24,000 meals working with its partner, the Southern Baptist Convention.
• Distributed more than 5,000 relief items including personal toiletries and recovery items like coolers, buckets, gloves, dust masks, trash bags, flashlights, tarps, shovels, rakes and blankets.
• Provided more than 200 health and mental health contacts. Health services volunteers are working with the Medical Reserve Corps to visit the injured in local hospitals and helping people replace prescriptions and other medical items at emergency aid stations. Mental health workers are providing emotional support in shelters and emergency aid stations.
• Mobilized more than 350 Red Cross workers from all over the country to help the people in Oklahoma.
• Deployed 41 Red Cross emergency response vehicles to distribute food and relief supplies throughout neighborhoods.
• Helped comfort those affected through its spiritual care teams.

HOW TO HELP Those who would like to help people affected by disasters like tornadoes, floods and other crises can make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. People can donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations help provide food, shelter and emotional support to those affected by disasters.

Celebrate Safely This Memorial Day

These are busy times for us. Of course, our hearts go out to the people of Moore, OK and everyone affected by this week's devastating tornadoes. The Red Cross relief efforts will continue throughout the holiday weekend and the days and weeks ahead.

Here in Western New York, we're also getting ready for the 15th Anniversary of The BASH, which believe it or not is two weeks from today. During your long holiday weekend, take a look at some of the great auction items that will be up for bid this year, and then get your tickets for the party of the summer!

Of course, many people consider Memorial Day Weekend to be the unofficial kickoff to summer. Thousands of people will be hitting the roads, firing up the grills, and hitting the water (as hard as that may be to believe with our temperatures in the 40s right now). Here's some safety tips everyone can follow not just this weekend, but throughout the summer months ahead!

DRIVE SAFELY With more people on the roads, it’s important to drive safely. Be well rested and alert, use seat belts, observe speed limits and follow the rules of the road. If plans include drinking alcohol, designate a driver who won’t drink. Other tips for a safe trip include:

• Give one’s full attention to the road.  Avoid distractions such as cell phones.
• Don’t follow another vehicle too closely.
• Use caution in work zones.
• Make frequent stops. 
• Clean the vehicle’s lights and windows to help the driver see, especially at night.
• Turn the headlights on as dusk approaches, or during inclement weather. Don’t overdrive the headlights. 

GRILLING SAFETY The Red Cross offers these tips to stay safe while cooking those tasty cookout treats:

Ombudsman volunteer Ray Boehm safely works the grill
with fellow volunteers at a recent recognition picnic.

• Never grill indoors – not in the house, camper, tent, or any enclosed area.
• Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use, and make sure everyone, including the pets, stays away from the grill.
• Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, deck, tree branches or anything that could catch fire.
• Keep the chef safe by using the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill.
• Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.
• Be ready to close the lid and turn off the grill to cut off the fuel if necessary.
• Keep a fireproof pan under the grill to catch any falling ash or grease.
• Trim excess fat from meat to avoid flare-ups.
• Wash one’s hands in hot soapy water before preparing food, after touching raw meat and after any interruptions such as using the bathroom, handling pets, stopping to do something with children.

SWIMMING SAFETY Learning to swim is one of the best steps someone can take to be safe around water. People can contact their local Red Cross chapter and learn how to swim as well as get the facts about water safety, home pool safety, first aid and CPR classes. Other swimming safety tips include:

• Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
• Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.
• Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
• Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.
• Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number. 

POOL SAFETY It’s important to constantly supervise children when they are near water, and in WNY we've already seen an unfortunate example of the dangers this spring. Never leave a young child unattended near water, and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water. Avoid distractions when supervising children around water. If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability. 

The Red Cross and National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF) have developed an online safety course for pool and hot tub owners. Home Pool Essentials helps people understand the risks of pool ownership, how to maintain a safer and cleaner pool, what safety equipment is appropriate, how to prevent pool and hot tub entrapment hazards, and how to respond to an emergency.

DOWNLOAD FIRST AID APP Another thing people can do is download the free Red Cross first aid app which puts expert advice for everyday emergency at someone’s fingertips. The free app is available for direct download from the Apple or Google Play for Android app stores.

We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto!

No, Western New York is not in Kansas. But Dorothy may be surprised to know that we seem to have a few tornado warnings here every year, including some actual tornado touchdowns. During this National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, the Red Cross has launched an new Tornado App that puts help right into the hands of people who live in or visit tornado-prone regions. Best of all, it’s free and available for iPhone, iPad and Android smart phone and tablet users. The Red Cross app gives people instant access to local and real time information on what to do before, during and after tornadoes.

 

The app, available in English and Spanish, has a number of features including a high-pitched siren and “tornado warning!” alert that signals when a NOAA tornado warning is in effect. An “all clear!” alert lets users know when a tornado warning has expired or has been cancelled. People who are out of harm’s way can quickly tap the “I’m safe” button to send a message letting loved ones and friends know they are okay.

People across the country can now receive location-based NOAA tornado, severe thunderstorm and flood alerts on their mobile devices and share them on their social networks. Users can share vital information via Facebook, Twitter, text and email. Even if someone doesn’t live in a tornado-prone area, users can have peace of mind knowing they’ll have instant information about loved ones who live in other parts of the country.

Other features of the app include:

·         Simple steps and checklists people can use to create an emergency plan and share it with household members;

·         Preloaded preparedness content that gives instant access to critical action steps even without mobile connectivity;

·         Toolkit with a flashlight, a strobe light and an audible alarm;

·         Locations of open Red Cross shelters; and

·         Badges users can earn through interactive quizzes and share on social networks.

Red Cross First Aid, Hurricane, Earthquake and Wild Fire Apps have already been downloaded more than 2 million times. People have not only downloaded the apps, but have used them to track storms, let loved ones know that they are safe, find Red Cross shelter locations and access other recovery resources. Download the apps today. The Tornado App, along with the others, can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross or by going to redcross.org/mobileapps.

While apps can help prepare you for disasters, they are not a substitute for training. Red Cross First Aid and CPR/AED training empowers people to know how to respond to emergencies in case advanced medical help is delayed. Go to redcross.org/takeaclass for information and to register.

Mother Nature's Angry Return

Photo courtesy wetmtv.com

After a summer full of sun and heat, some severe weather returned to the area yesterday. While many of us here in the Buffalo area simply received some much needed rain, other places weren't so lucky. The Southern Tier was hit with severe thunderstorms, and a possible tornado wreaked havoc just over the state border in Pennsylvania. Another possible tornado touched down a little further to our east in Elmira, NY, where the local Red Cross chapter has opened a shelter at the Elmira Free Academy. Volunteers were housing and providing food for as many as 50 residents this morning, and the damage was so severe Gov. Cuomo has declared a state of emergency in Chemung County.

While our thoughts are with everyone dealing with the devastation this wild weather caused, this also serves as a reminder of the importance of emergency preparedness. It's easy to become complacent when the weather is as beautiful as ours has been this summer. But disaster can strike anytime, anywhere, often without warning. If these storms had been just a few miles further north, would you and your family have known where to go to stay safe, or had time to gather needed items like food, water and necessary medications if forced to evacuate?

The time to prepare for an emergency isn't when the severe weather warnings are posted. There are three steps everyone can take that can help make a difference: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, and Be Informed. Take a few minutes now to review these tornado and thunderstorm safety checklists, and consider scheduling a free disaster preparedness education program at your school, business or other organization.

When a disaster does hit, you can find Red Cross shelter locations online, and you can download the shelter finder app on your iphone. You can also register as Safe & Well, which is a great way to let your loved ones know that you are okay. Make sure that when Mother Nature decides to make her next visit, you are Red Cross Ready!

Because of you

Tornadoes can come and go with little warning, causing a family to lose their home in an instant.  Families often have time to prepare for floods, but when the flood waters finally come in, they come in fast. In these darkest of times, individuals and families turned to the American Red Cross and its generous donors like you for shelter, food, emotional support, and emergency assistance. Missouri residents whose lives were turned upside down by the tornado were given vital necessities such as hot meals and snacks, hygiene kits, and health and mental health support. More than 390.000 meals and snacks were served at shelters and throughout the communities by Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles that were circulating through affected communities. American Red Cross President and CEO visited Joplin in the early days of the response. Moved by what she saw, she explained,

“The devastation that I have seen is truly indescribable. Everywhere you look, buildings are toppled, homes are destroyed, things are in shards, and the community is working so hard to recover and bounce back. It’s heartbreaking, and I’m very very proud of what the American Red Cross is doing to help the people of Joplin. We have a shelter stood up where we are feeding and sheltering people who have lost everything. We have Emergency Response Vehicles that are driving through communities, delivering food, meals, snacks, clean-up kits, comfort kits. We have mental health counselors here providing psycho-social support for the people of Joplin. It is a massive undertaking.”

Photo courtesy of the International Buisness Times

As the Red Cross met the immediate needs of the people affected, Disaster Assessment (DA) teams were sent out to determine resources and staff that would be necessary for an efficient and effective response. Red Cross DA teams visited thousands of homes to determine the effect on residents and to make sure we help. Caseworkers are following up with these affected residents to help them get their lives back on track.

As of June 27, 2011, the Red Cross has:

• Opened 33 shelters for affected residents

• Provided nearly 8,200 overnight shelter stays

• Served more than 390,000 meals and snacks

• Distributed more than 5,000 hygiene kits and clean-up kits, which includes essential items such as mops, dust masks, and gloves.

• Provided approximately 175,000 bulk items, such as rakes and tarps

• Enlisted the hard work of approximately 1,350 Red Cross workers

• Deployed 36 Emergency Response Vehicles

• Consulted nearly 15,000 affected residents on their health and mental health needs.

With your support, the Red Cross can be there for families and individuals affected by disasters. Thank you for helping us continue this life saving work. Your support is critical to providing a safe, warm and dry place to stay, food, emotional support and many other kinds of assistance- whenever and wherever disaster strikes. 

To learn how you can help, visit us online at www.buffaloredcross.org.

Article and data courtesy of The American Red Cross.

The Red Cross' response in the Midwest

The American Red Cross’ top priority when responding to disasters is to provide food, shelter and emotional support for the people whose lives have been disrupted.  This is why after disasters, it is our goal to open shelters in the damaged areas within hours so that we can begin to provide people with food, water, and a safe place to stay.



Photo courtesy of MSNBC

More than 100 people spent Monday night in a Red Cross shelter in Joplin after the tornadoes tore through the Midwest and more than 50 people sought refuge in Minnesota on Sunday.  We know that meeting these basic needs of people is extremely important to their recovery, but what is often over looked after disasters are the individual’s mental health.  This is why we encourage trained health services and mental health workers to join the Red Cross as volunteers so that we can be sure that they are being deployed to areas where they can help people cope in the aftermath of disasters.

All of this couldn’t be done without the financial support of the Red Cross’ communities across the country, and currently the Red Cross estimates that it will spend as much as $41 million responding to the disasters which have occurred since March 31.  To date, about $33.6 million has been raised in donations for these responses, which includes  the Red Cross’ responses to the myriad of disasters which have hit the United States this spring, including the wildfires in Texas, the tornadoes which devastated areas of the South, the Mississippi River flooding response, and helping people affected by this past weekend’s tornadoes

Any donation, large or small, will help with our relief effort. 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.

To watch an interview with Red Cross volunteer, Janet Bartee, click here!

To make a donation, visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Contributions may also be sent to your local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

For more information about volunteering, please visit us online or contact Mary Walls at wallsma@usa.redcross.org or 878-2140.

Bills and Verizon Wireless Team Up for Tornado Relief

The Federal Government has announced that over 600 tornadoes touched down in the month of April.  Thousands of towns and cities have been destroyed and damaged and residents are now left with little or nothing to call home.  The American Red Cross has launched a huge recovery operation across the six affected southern states, opening hundreds of shelters, serving more than 513,000 meals, and helping families take the next step in recovering their lives. 

Bills VP Russ Brandon and first round draft pick Marcell Dareus with
Heather Filipowicz, CFRE, Sr. Director of Advancement.

As a humanitarian organization, we rely on donations from the public so that we can perform our mission, which is why we’re so thankful to the Buffalo Bill's owner, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr., and Verizon Wireless.  During last weekend’s NFL Draft, these two organizations teamed up to donate $10,000 to our Disaster Relief Fund in honor of first round pick Marcell Dareus, from the University of Alabama.  Their generosity will help us provide the immediate emergency needs of disaster victims and help them make the steps to rebuilding what they’ve lost. 

To help us to continue to provide aid to families affected by disaster, please visit us online.



For more information on the Bills donation
to our Disaster Relief Fund, click here.