From Fires to Floods: The American Red Cross Will Be There.

As the saying goes: When it rains, it pours. Or in this case, it floods.

In just a short period of 11 days, the American Red Cross has been flooded with disaster relief needs around the nation. The United States has been hit with everything from hurricanes to tropical storms to tornadoes to floods to even wildfires. These disasters have left families with destroyed homes, if a home at all. People’s lives have been uprooted, making getting the daily necessities, such as clean clothes and food, a struggle for those affected.

The American Red Cross has heard the call and responded. After Hurricane Irene, disaster relief volunteers from all over the nation found themselves all along the East Coast, serving more than 1.6 million meals and snacks and providing approximately 58,000 overnight shelters since August 27. As people begin the grueling and overwhelming task of cleaning up their homes and towns after the hurricane, volunteers have given out more than 516,000 relief items such as hygiene kits, mops, brooms, tarps, work gloves and coolers.

On the other side of the nation, in areas in Texas, Oklahoma and Oregon, the Red Cross has opened shelters to house families that were forced to evacuate because of wildfires. In Texas alone, more than 450 people spent Monday night in 10 Red Cross shelters.

A bit north of these shelters, nearly 100 people in North Dakota continue to rely on the Red Cross for shelter, after disastrous flooding removed them from their homes back in June.

Although it is easy to see that the Red Cross provides survival essentials, such as shelter and food, perhaps the most important thing the Red Cross has to offer is its presence. People displaced from their homes, still reeling from the shock, take comfort in knowing that there are still good people out there, willing to stop everything they are doing and run to their aid. This is what people need the most and this is what the Red Cross stands for.

Be a part of the mission and be there.

**It is already estimated that Red Cross relief services for Hurricane Irene alone will total to $10 to $15 million. Help the cause.**