Red Cross, Grigg-Lewis Foundation Team Up For Preparedness

$6,000 donation funds purchase of disaster trailer for Eastern Niagara County

BUFFALO, NY, December 13, 2012 – Thanks to a $6,000 donation from the Grigg-Lewis Foundation, the American Red Cross, Serving Erie & Niagara Counties has purchased a new disaster trailer that will be based in Eastern Niagara County. The trailer, which has been stocked with cots, blankets, and other disaster preparedness items, will be housed at the Rapids Fire Hall on Old Beattie Road in Lockport, where it will be available to quickly deploy to assist Eastern Niagara County residents in the event of an emergency.

“We are so thankful for the continuing support of the Grigg-Lewis Foundation,” said Mark Dashner, Director of Niagara County Services for the American Red Cross. “This trailer will greatly cut down on our response time should a disaster strike Eastern Niagara County, allowing our staff and volunteers to quickly set up emergency shelters in affected areas and give local residents someplace to turn when they need it most.”

This generous donation is just the latest example of support the Grigg-Lewis Foundation has provided to the American Red Cross. The Foundation also makes an annual gift of thousands of dollars to support the work of the Red Cross, and the foundation’s founder and primary benefactor, Henrietta Grigg Lewis, was a long-time volunteer with the Red Cross in Eastern Niagara County.

For more information on the Grigg-Lewis foundation, please visit www.grigglewis.org.

To schedule a free disaster preparedness education program at your school, business or organization, please call (716) 886-7500, and visit www.redcross.org/prepare/location for Be Red Cross Ready for emergency preparedness tips and checklists.

Send a Hero some Holiday Cheer!

We've been so focused on our assistance to those affected by Sandy while responding to a number of fires here at home recently that you may have lost track of another important thing the Red Cross does each year around this time. Friday's deadline for people to send holiday greetings to men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces through the Holiday Mail for Heroes program is fast approaching!

Hoover Elementary students proudly display their thanks
to members of the armed forces during a 2010
Holiday Mail for Heroes card-making event

One of my first experiences working for the Red Cross was two years ago, when I had the pleasure of attending a Holiday Mail for Heroes card-making event at Hoover Elementary School in the Ken-Ton district. The kids had so much fun designing and decorating greetings to send to our men and women in uniform, and I think they learned something about giving back to those who sacrifice so much for us. Last weekend, a table with cards was set up in the Clement Mansion lobby during the Holiday Gift Show. I think the highlight of my six-year-old's visit was addressing a "Dear Soldier" holiday greeting. 

If you've ever been away from home for the holidays, you know how much it means to receive a little cheer in the mail. So please, take some time over the next couple days to thank some real heroes for their service to our country. All holiday greetings should be addressed and sent to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes

P.O. Box 5456

Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Once the Red Cross receives the cards that are sent in by the public, Pitney Bowes Inc. scans them to ensure safety and security. Red Cross volunteers sort and deliver them to military installations, in VA and military hospitals and to veteran’s organizations in the United States and overseas.

The Red Cross cannot guarantee delivery of those cards postmarked after December 7. Visit redcross.org/holidaymail for a full list of recommended guidelines. 

Red Cross Responding to Fire in Town of Lockport

Red Cross Responding to Fire in Town of Lockport

Disaster Action Team assisting residents of trailer park

BUFFALO, NY, November 29, 2012 – The American Red Cross, Serving Erie & Niagara Counties is currently assisting residents following a trailer park fire this morning. Volunteers from our Disaster Action Team met with the two adults and four children on the scene earlier today to assess their immediate emergency needs.

Red Cross assistance typically includes vouchers for temporary housing, food, clothing, and emotional support for those displaced by the fire. The family is expected to meet with caseworkers in the coming days to work out a longer-term recovery plan.

The Disaster Action Team is a group of specially trained volunteers who respond to the scene of a local disaster when called upon 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For more information on how to Join Us as a Disaster Action Team member, please call (716) 878-2140 or visit www.redcross.org/buffaloniagara.

The American Red Cross, Serving Erie & Niagara Counties spends an average of just over $1,000 when responding to a single house fire affecting a family of four.  To make a financial donation to help this family and others affected by house fires and other disasters down the street, across the country, or around the world, please visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation (charges will appear on your cell phone bill).  



More Stories From the Field

There's so many amazing stories happening as part of the Red Cross response to Sandy, and I'm honored and humbled to have been a small part of it. So today, I want to link to a few stories put together by the members of the Public Affairs team that I was honored to be a part of.

I'll start with a photo record of my two weeks in NYC: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151334759114434.526892.69290729433&type=1&l=6ce96ee71c.

Bob Wallace, one of my Public Affairs teammates, caught up with Niagara Falls own Mike Hoplight, and like us, Bob was amazed at everything Mike does for the Red Cross: http://newsroom.redcross.org/2012/11/24/story-mike-hoplight/.

I met this gentleman-who's also a judge-a week and a half ago, working on his day off to help those in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood (special thanks to my good friend Alyson Roach for putting the final story together): http://newsroom.redcross.org/2012/11/24/story-5/#more-10395.

This one isn't a link, but Julie Krizen's story of a man we met at a union meeting to inform members of services available to them:

The remains of Michael O'Hanlon's Breezy Point home.
Michael says his wife loves the meals the Red Cross provides.

Michael O'Hanlon was displaced after Superstorm Sandy made landfall and caused a massive fire in his neighborhood. He and his wife had to swim out of his burning home and are now living with relatives. Both have been very thankful for the support they have received from the American Red Cross - especially hot meals at a time when they were needed most. Almost 3 weeks later Michael remains positive and upbeat despite the tears in his eyes. He carries around pictures of what is left of his home but says "I can look at them, but I just can't stare at them. I know I need to sit down and have a big cry, but I just don't have the time for that right now." Michael is just thankful to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family and knows although the road to recovery is a long one, he will be just fine.

Together with the amazing Katie Wilkes-who gave up a vacation in Australia to volunteer with the Red Cross-we met Miss Cynthia, who's passion and dedication is off the charts: http://newsroom.redcross.org/2012/11/27/story-red-cross-delivers-hope/#more-10409.

Of course, the Red Cross can't be there for our neighbors in need without the support of the American public. These high schoolers from Ohio made some beautiful music to help those affected by Sandy; https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152250511190618&set=a.372557220617.346307.299568830617&type=1&theater

And just in case you're still not impressed by the sacrifices of Red Cross volunteers, check out this Wall Street Journal story on how a hundred or so of them have been living while helping those most affected by Sandy: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323830404578145121283796906.html?mod=WSJ_NY_RealEstate_LEFTTopStories.