Thank You, Western New York!

The "City of Good Neighbors" once again lived up to its nickname last night, stepping up in a big way to to support the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief fund.

Joanna Pasceri from Channel 7's Eyewitness News joined us for a live telethon to raise money for the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the disasters and resulting nuclear threat.  In just two hours, "Join Us to Help Japan" raised an amazing $20,605.50!!  All of us who work at the Chapter are once again in awe of the generosity of everyone in Western New York.

During last night's broadcast, Ann McCarthy from Wegmans discussed how shoppers can donate to the American Red Cross relief efforts in Japan at the checkout.  Did you know the Wegmans Family Foundation has donated an additional $100,000 to those efforts?  Amazing!

The Greater Buffalo Chapter would like to send our sincerest thanks to all of our incredible volunteers for stepping up to man the phones, to Joanna and everyone at Channel 7 for "Joining Us" to help Japan, and of course, to Wegmans and ALL of Western New York for once again stepping up to help those in need. 

Although the telethon may be over, the need for assistance in Japan remains.  To donate online, visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS, text REDCROSS to 90999 to send a $10 donation, or mail your donation to:
American Red Cross
Greater Buffalo Chapter-30
PO Box 1845
Albany, NY 12201-1845

On those rare occasions where donations exceed American Red Cross expenses for a specific crisis, contributions are used to prepare for and service victims of other crises.

No one likes pining by the phone waiting for it to ring... so don't make us!

Photo courtesy of ABC.net.au

Tonight is the night Buffalo! Phone lines for our telethon on Channel 7 will open at 5pm and close at 6:30pm, so be sure to call in your donations to help Japan.

If you call 716.886.7500 during the telethon, a volunteer will be anxiously waiting to take your secure credit card donation, so be sure to keep them busy with your phone calls!

We'd like to thank Wegmans for the food that they will be providing to our volunteers working the telethon, for the Check Out campaign they are running to help aid Japan, and the $100,000 the Wegmans family donated to the American Red Cross' relief efforts.  

Also, we'd like to thank Roschez Academy of Irish Dancers and their families for helping to raise over $1,000 to donate to the Japanese Earthquake and Pacific tsunami fund.

If you would like to help out by making a donation, you can call us tonight during out telethon at (716)886-7500 or you can donate at anytime by visiting us online, texting REDCROSS to 90999 (there will be a $10.00 charge added to your cell phone bill), calling 1-800-REDCROSS or by mailing a check to:

American Red Cross

Greater Buffalo Chapter-30

PO Box 1845

Albany, NY 12201-1845

For more information on the telethon, please contact Jay Bonafede at (716) 878-2372.

JOIN US TO HELP JAPAN

Like so many, the hearts of the American Red Cross go out to the people of Japan and the other survivors of the earthquake and tsunami on March 11^th.  As of Monday, March 14^th:

·         3,100 people have been confirmed dead

·         3,118 people are reported missing

·         530,000 people have had to be evacuated from the tsunami, earthquake, and the resulting nuclear threat.

Picture courtesy of Colin DowneyBecause of these growing numbers, the American Red Cross has contributed an initial $10 million to the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS).  These funds will assist the JRCS’s ongoing efforts to provide medical care and relief assistance.  As this disaster continues to unfold, we expect that the JRCS will need more funding which is why we’re teaming up with WKBW-TV Channel 7 for a live “Join Us To Help Japan” telethon event, between 5pm-6:30pm Thursday evening.

During the telethon, you can make a donation to the relief efforts in Japan by calling (716) 886-7500, where volunteers will accept a secure credit card donation. 
You can also donate at anytime by visiting us online, texting REDCROSS to 90999 (there will be a $10.00 charge added to your cell phone bill), calling 1-800-REDCROSS or by mailing a check to:

American Red Cross

Greater Buffalo Chapter-30

PO Box 1845

Albany, NY 12201-1845

You can also catch our very own Communications Coordinator, Jay Bonafede, accepting a donation to the telethon from Roschez Academy of Irish Dancers tomorrow on the 6 o'clock am news on Channel 7.
For more information on the telethon, please contact Jay Bonafede at (716) 878-2372 and if you’d like to make a donation between the hours of 9am-5pm Monday-Friday you can call us here at the Chapter at (716) 886-7500.

Dip into something fun!

Looking for something fun and new to do tonight? Well look no further! Dip into something different at The Melting Pot and support the American Red Cross for Ladies’ Night Out!

The Melting Pot will be donating $5.00 of the $30.00 Ladies’ Night Out Dinner to the Greater Buffalo Chapter, which includes:

        ·         Cheese Fondue

        ·         Petite Entrée

        ·         Chocolate Fondue

In addition, $1.00 of every $6.00 Love Martini will be donated to the Chapter.  So gather up your girlfriends, put on your favorite red dress and come out to support a great cause for a night of fondue and fun!

Be sure to call ahead for a reservation! This event will be happening Wednesday March 16^th and 23^rd at the Melting Pot at 1 Walden Galleria Drive in the Galleria Mall, Buffalo, NY 14225.   

To make a reservation, call 716.685.6358.

To learn more about this event, contact Emily Shafer at 716.878.2374 or visit the Melting Pot online.

Our relief efforts around the world.

Today the National American Red Cross announced that it will be contributing an initial $10 million to the Japanese Red Cross Society.  This money is to assist their ongoing efforts to provide medical care and relief assistance to the people of Japan that were affected by the earthquake and tsunami that devastated their country on March 11.

“We are grateful for the American public’s generosity and compassion following what has been declared one of the most devastating earthquakes in history… The American Red Cross is in a unique position to help channel that support to our partner in Japan that is playing a critical humanitarian role and comforting the survivors.”-- David Meltzer, senior vice president of international services with the American Red Cross.

If you would like to make a donation to the relief efforts, you can:

·         Visit the Red Cross online

·         Call 1-800-REDCROSS

·         Text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10.00 donation

Want to learn more about The Japanese Red Cross and what their relief effort looks like?

·         The Japanese Red Cross is a highly experienced disaster relief organization with two million volunteers nationwide.

·         Many local volunteers took immediate action following the disaster by distributing relief items, offering hot meals, clearing debris and providing medical transportation.

·         As concerns mount about damage to nuclear power plants in the north, the Japanese Red Cross is also focused on supporting the 200,000 people who have been evacuated from the exclusion zone.

·         Many of the Japanese Red Cross branch offices have trained nuclear decontamination teams and equipment, including special tents for decontamination which can be used to support a government response.

·         A specialist medical team at the Nagasaki Red Cross hospital is on standby, ready to receive patients if people become ill as a result of radiation poisoning.

o   Other hospitals in the area are monitoring radiation levels to protect the patients they are currently treating.

·         At public shelters and throughout the country, local volunteers are handing out relief items, including more than 65,000 blankets which are of great comfort to the displaced.

·         More than 100 medical teams, made up of more than 700 people, including doctors and nurses have been providing assistance in the most affected areas through mobile medical clinics.

·         Trained nurses with the Japanese Red Cross are also offering psychosocial support to traumatized survivors.

With the help of your donations, the Japanese Red Cross will be better able to meet the needs of their people.  If you would like to talk to someone more about making a donation, please contact us at 716.878.2374 and to make a donation, visit us online, call 1-800-REDCROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10.00 donation. 

When tragedy strikes

As we learn more and more about the disaster in Japan and how much devastation their country and its people are going through, our hearts go out to them. They are lucky to have an amazing Red Cross that dispatched 62 response teams in the first 24 hours after the 8.9 earthquakes and resulting tsunami. They are working tirelessly to help meet the emergency needs of the Japanese people. 

In addition to this disaster overseas, there is also the potential for danger to head towards the west coast of the United States.  There are Red Cross chapters are standing at the ready to provide assistance as needed in their communities in coordination with local and federal response partners.

What does this mean?

·         The Red Cross warehouses in Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), California, Washington and Hawaii are putting together resources.

·         Over 100 mobile feeding vehicles on standby. 

·         Evacuation shelters are open with additional locations on standby in Oregon, Washington and California.

·         Blood collection agencies are on standby to support any blood needs.

If you would like to make a donation to the Japan and Pacific Tsunami to support their relief efforts, you can visit us online or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10.00. 

Are you looking for someone? 

The best way to contact or locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in Japan is to contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or (202) 647-5225. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has offered to assist Japan with restoring family links. You can also search the American Red Cross’ Safe and Well list.