Published: October 01, 2008 07:47 pm            

Wabash Valley chapter joins national Red Cross fundraising effort

TERRE HAUTE — As a result of an active year of disasters — a record number of tornadoes, the worst flooding in the Midwest in 15 years including here in the Wabash Valley, an early wildfire season and an active hurricane season that is not yet over — the American Red Cross is launching a national fundraising campaign to raise an initial $100 million to fill its depleted Disaster Relief Fund.

The Disaster Relief Fund allows the Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter to provide emergency assistance to help victims of disasters meet their immediate needs for food, shelter, counseling and other critical services. The Red Cross responds to 70,000 disasters each year — the majority of them “silent” disasters never making the news. After tragedy strikes, the Red Cross relies on this fund to mobilize volunteers and resources to help communities throughout the United States.

“People here in the Wabash Valley have always responded generously to support their neighbors during their time of need. Our own community has benefited from the fund many times in the aftermath of local flooding, tornadoes, wind storms and apartment fires. The American Red Cross belongs to the American People and we will be as strong as the American Red Cross people make us with their gifts of time, money and resources. Over 100 Red Crossers from across the nation came to our community in June to help us meet the immediate emergency needs of local flood families. Now is an opportunity for us to give back. I urge all Americans to join together and make a contribution to the Disaster Relief Fund today. No matter how small, every donation can change a life” said Carol Stevens, executive director of the Wabash Valley Chapter, which serves Clay, Greene, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties in Indiana and Edgar County in Illinois.

Since January, Red Cross volunteers have responded to thousands of house fires and more than 60 large-scale disasters — including hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and wildfires — which have steadily depleted the Disaster Relief Fund. Expenses for Hurricane Gustav alone are estimated to be as much as $70 million dollars for the Red Cross, and the organization has only raised a fraction of what is needed to support affected families. The cost of the Hurricane Ike relief effort could easily climb higher than that.

In the interim, the Red Cross is borrowing money to cover the costs of the hurricanes of 2008. Despite this, the Red Cross has not cut any of its services to disaster victims and does not expect to do so.

You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Log on to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2627) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) to make a donation. Use your cell phone to donate $5 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by text messaging the keyword “GIVE” to “2HELP” (24357). You can send multiple donations depending on your carrier. Contributions will appear on monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance. All applicable text rates apply.

        

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