An Urgent Message from the Local American Red Cross CEO About Recent Storms in Midwest/Southern US

Dear Friend,

The American Red Cross National Headquarters, this [week] implemented a “Call to Action,” in response to the ongoing devastation of the spring storms and floods.

The Red Cross is providing comfort and hope across 14 states to help people affected by the devastating floods and tornadoes. Red Cross disaster relief workers are on the ground as I write this, providing urgently needed assistance including food, water, shelter, clean-up supplies and emotional support to those impacted. Your local Red Cross deployed two volunteers on Friday, May 2, 2014, joining fellow Red Cross volunteers who are already assisting clients and focusing on recovery efforts.

This giant storm threatened millions of people with heavy rain and flooding from the southeast all along the East Coast to New England. Although the Evansville-Wabash Valley region has been spared from this deadly spring system, the severe weather season is just beginning. And our communities may not be so lucky next time.

The need for Red Cross assistance is critical, widespread and potentially long lasting. Below is a picture of an expanding number of disasters across several areas of the country.

• As many as 430 people spent  lastTuesday night in 29 Red Cross and community shelters in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
• People who need to find a shelter can contact their local Red Cross chapter or access the Red Cross shelter map on redcross.org. This map is updated every 30 minutes with shelter locations by address, city, state and/or zip code.
• This has been a deadly and devastating storm and Red Cross disaster mental health workers are available to help people cope with the aftermath
• The Red Cross will be on the ground in these affected areas for weeks to help people get back on their feet.
• Red Cross emergency vehicles will hand out meals, snacks and relief supplies in affected communities. Damage assessment teams are also helping to determine the full scope of the destruction left behind by this storm.
• The Red Cross has already served nearly 9,000 meals and snacks and handed out hundreds of essential relief items to people in need, providing shelter, critical meds and clothing.

We have a major disaster on our hands, currently, and we are in need of your help.

To support those affected by disasters like tornadoes, floods and other crises, I urge you to please make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Thank you for your generosity and consideration. We are One Red Cross.

Sincerely,

Amy Canterbury
Regional Chief Executive Officer
American Red Cross Evansville-Wabash Valley Region