The Red Cross is on the ground, part of a large team of agencies and organizations responding to provide help to communities turned upside-down.
In the last eight weeks, the American Red Cross has launched wide-ranging relief efforts to help people devastated by three historic, back-to-back hurricanes—Harvey, Irma, and Maria. We have supported the community of Las Vegas after the tragic shooting, and now, the Red Cross is helping thousands of families affected by the deadliest week of wildfires in California history.
The response is massive and the needs are great. In the last 65 days, the Red Cross has sheltered more people than it has in the last 5 years combined. A total of more than 16,800 trained disaster workers, 91 percent of them volunteers, have been mobilized to support relief efforts. Many of these workers have supported multiple relief operations or deployed multiple times. Of those workers, nearly 250 are from right here in the Colorado & Wyoming Region and the opportunity and expectation that we will send more volunteers is anticipated to continue through the holidays as these communities move toward recovery.
California Wildfires
- Since the fires began, the Red Cross, community and government partners have provided more than 27,800 overnight stays in emergency shelters.
- With the help of partners, the Red Cross has served more than 159,000 meals and snacks, and provided more than 11,700 mental health and health services to support and care for those affected.
- The Red Cross has distributed more than 129,000 emergency relief items such as masks, gloves, rakes, trash bags and comfort kits containing deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other hygiene items to people in need.
- To help people recover and get back on their feet, the Red Cross has opened more than 580 cases, reaching more than 1,400 people.
Hurricane Response Efforts (Harvey, Irma and Maria)
With the help of partners, the Red Cross has served more than 6.7 million (6,768,000) meals and snacks—that’s more food than the past 4 years combined. Additionally, we have distributed more than 4.9 million (4,935,000) emergency relief items to people in need. Red Cross volunteers have provided more than 197,600 mental health and health services to support and care for those affected.
About the American Red Cross:The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.