Thank You

This is the final post for the Central US Floods and Tornadoes Online Newsroom. While this is the last post, the recovery and relief efforts will continue. We would like to thank the hard working Red Crossers in the field who made this disaster operation, as well as this website, successful. To all those in the affected areas, we wish you a swift and complete recovery.

National media contacts: Please contact (202) 303-5551 for additional public affairs information.

Local media contacts: Please contact your local chapter for additional public affairs information.

For Red Cross assistance or for any other inquiries, please contact 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Photos: Ronald McDonald Visits a Red Cross Shelter 6.25.08

Photos Courtesy American Red Cross

Audio: What’s that Red Cross Truck Doing Here?

The Red Cross offers food and water to other relief workers during disasters.

Robin Parker and Michael Spencer discuss.

Audio: Every Little Bit Counts

Michael Spencer explains why small donations can make a big difference.

Audio: What is Client Casework?

What the heck is “Client Casework?”

Everet Milner in the Disaster Operations Center (DOC) explains.

Audio: What is bulk distribution?

Michael Spencer explains:

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Audio: Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

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Audio: Sandbagging in Wisconsin

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Graphic: The Red Cross Response

Available for download:

Graphic: When Disaster Strikes

How the Red Cross May Use Your Donation to Help Disaster Victims:

• $25 provides five blankets at an emergency shelter.
• $75 can cover a doctor’s visit for an individual injured in a disaster.
• $350 can provide emrergency food and shelter for 25 disaster victims for one day.
• $2,500 deploys one Emergency Response Vehicle and drivers (including housing and meals for drivers) to a disaster relief operation.
• $3,200 is the average yearly maintenance and fuel for one Emergency Response Vehicle.

This image shows how the Red Cross responds when a disaster strikes:

Press Release: Iowa 6.20.08

RED CROSS SERVICES UPDATE

Contact: Laurel Goforth at Office: (571) 918-5585; Cell: (512) 608-7272

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Friday, June 20, 2008 – The American Red Cross is adjusting its services to meet the needs of the estimated tens of thousands of people affected by the recent flooding.

Red Cross continues to provide shelter, meals, snacks, clean-up supplies, physical and mental health services and individual client assistance in affected areas of Iowa and neighboring Illinois.

Red Cross shelters:

• University of Northern Iowa, West Gymnasium, 2501 Minnesota St., Cedar Falls

• Wartburg College, Waverly Sports and Wellness Center, 100 Wartburg Blvd., Waverly

• Johnson County Fairgrounds, 4261 Oakcrest Hill Road SE, Building A, Iowa City

• Viola Gibson Elementary School, 6101 Gibson Drive NE, Cedar Rapids

• Prairie High School, 401 76th Ave., Cedar Rapid

• North West Junior High School, 1507 8th St., Coralville

• West Burlington High School, 211 Ramsey St., West Burlington

Service Delivery Sites:

• 100 Wartburg Blvd., Waverly

• American Red Cross of Quad Cities,1100 River Drive, Moline, Ill.

• 220 Brandilynn Blvd.; Mattress King building across from Blain’s Farm & Fleet, Cedar Falls

• Westdale Mall, 2600 Edgewood Road SW, Cedar Rapids; former Osco’s store next to JC Penney

Red Cross caseworkers are also driving through impacted areas of Mason City to meet with people as they begin their cleanup.

Bulk Distribution Sites:

• Sam’s Shopping Center, 2605 Blairs Berry Road, NE, Cedar Rapids

• 220 Brandilynn Blvd.; Mattress King building across from Blain’s Farm & Fleet, Cedar Falls

• Westdale Mall, 2600 Edgewood Road SW, Cedar Rapids; former Osco’s store next to JC Penney

“Safe and Well” website: If you’ve been affected by a disaster, the Red Cross encourages you to register yourself as “safe and well” on http://www.RedCross.org. From a list of standard messages, you can select what you want to communicate to family members and friends, to let them know of your well-being. If internet access is not available, you can call 1(866) GET-INFO to register.

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of flooding and thousands of other disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting http://www.redcross.org.

Press Release: National 6.20.08

Generous Donations Help Replenish American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund

Help still needed as relief efforts continue in Central U.S.

Contact: American Red Cross Public Affairs at (202) 303-5551

Washington, June 20, 2008 – With an estimated cost of at least $15 million for the relief efforts in the Central United States, the American Red Cross continues to seek donations for its Disaster Relief Fund. The relief organization is extremely grateful for the approximately $8 million that has been pledged and received for disaster relief to date from generous donors across the country. This update comes one week after the Red Cross announced that the fund had been depleted. The challenges with the Disaster Relief Fund have not adversely affected the level of service that is being provided.

In response to the extreme weather and flooding, the Red Cross has opened more than 100 shelters and deployed an estimated 3,000 volunteers to help serve nearly 500,000 meals and snacks, and distribute the thousands of clean-up kits to families returning to their flood ravaged homes. As flooding continues along the Mississippi River, the Red Cross encourages those who may be affected by the swelling waters to review the flooding preparedness tips that can be found on http://www.RedCross.org.

The Disaster Relief Fund allows the Red Cross to provide desperately needed immediate emergency assistance to victims of all disasters, small and large. The fund provides for free assistance not only to victims of major disasters like the recent floods, but also to smaller local disasters, like house fires. Since the American Red Cross is not a government agency, it relies on the donations of private individuals and organizations to provide assistance to those affected by disasters.

The best way to help the Red Cross continue to provide food, shelter, counseling and other assistance to victims of disasters is to make a financial contribution to the Disaster Relief Fund. For example, a $25 donation can provide five blankets at an emergency shelter; a $350 donation can provide emergency food and shelter for up to 25 people for one day.

Donors can contribute via the internet at http://www.RedCross.org , by phone at 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-435-7669) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or by mail: American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243 , Washington, D.C. 20013. The Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation.

Visit www.RedCross.org to find out the latest information and learn how you can help.

Photos: President Bush Visits a Red Cross Shelter

President Bush, along with Chairman of the Red Cross Board, Bonnie McElveen-Hunter and Acting President and CEO of the Red Cross, Mary Elcano, meet with shelter residents and volunteers in Coralville, IA.These photos are available for download. Courtesy Joe Hansen/American Red Cross.

Fast Facts: The American Red Cross Response 6.20.08

(Effective June 20, 2008; 8:00 am EST)

Consolidated relief information for Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, and West Virginia:

• 114* Shelters opened
• 10,008 Shelter overnight stays
• 188,792* Meals served
• 301,309* Snacks served
• 135* Emergency Response Vehicles deployed
• 20,526* Clean up kits distributed
• 9,246 Comfort kits distributed
• 8,526 Mental health contacts
• 6,655 Health services contacts
• 4,035 Red Cross workers deployed

Term Definitions

* indicates a correction to yesterday’s numbers

Audio: Indian Grave Levee

Gulfport, IL Indian Grave Levee was compromised. Our volunteer Larry Fortmuller explains the sandbagging operation where Red Cross is providing basic needs for hundreds of citizens and the National Guard as they try to shore up the levee.

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Audio: Quincy, IL Sandbagging Operation

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Audio: Service delivery site in Cedar Rapids

Service delivery site at mall in Cedar Rapids. Chance for individuals to sit down with a case worker to talk about their situation and family needs. Here’s where the Red Cross registers those impacted, checks on the status of homes, and helps provide for needs that begin their recovery.

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Audio: Distributing Food

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Audio: Wisconsin Returns Home

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