World Aids Day December 1

World AIDS Day on December 1 is an opportunity for people and organizations worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for those living with the disease and commemorate friends and loved ones who have lost the battle.

It is estimated that about 34 million people are living with HIV and every 18 seconds someone in the world dies of an AIDS related death. Despite progress in slowing the spread of the virus, many of those infected don’t even know they are carriers. The Red Cross is engaged in the global fight against this disease, working to reduce transmission and to support those living with it.

Doan Thi Khuyen was infected in 2003 by her husband and was unaware of his HIV positive status or his drug use. As a result, she was devastated when she found out that both she and her 4 month old son were infected.

But Doan decided not to be a victim of this disease and instead formed a support group for others who had been diagnosed and stigmatized. Now, with the support of the Red Cross, she is a peer counselor educating others about disease prevention and ensuring those suffering from the disease in her community have access to resources such as home health care.

Into the Light is an intimate look at the impact that Red Cross HIV awareness and counseling programs are having in Vietnam and Cambodia. HIV is becoming an ever increasing struggle for people in Asia and in many countries repressive laws fuel the transmission of HIV by denying drug users and others access to health and social services.

While many advances have been made in HIV treatment and laws protecting those diagnosed with the disease, stigma and discrimination still remain a reality for many people living with HIV. Last year, the American Red Cross reached 335,000 people across the world with increased access to health care, support groups, prevention education and stigma reduction programs.

World AIDS Day reminds the public and governments that HIV has not gone away, that there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.

Help A Young Person By Giving the Gift of Babysitters Training

When a young person ages 11-15 needs money, babysitting is often their first job.Babysitter’s Training is a gift in this year’s American Red Cross Holiday Catalog and provides the knowledge and skills, and builds the confidence necessary to safely and responsibly give care to children and infants. This one-day class teaches basic child care, basic first aid and infant CPR.

Babysitter’s Training has been newly revised by the American Red Cross with input from youth. The course is fun and fast-paced with hands-on activities, exciting video, role-plays and lively discussions.

Students learn how to—

• Supervise children and infants.
• Perform basic child-care skills such as diapering and feeding.
• Choose safe, age-appropriate games and toys.
• Handle bedtime and discipline issues.
• Identify safety hazards and prevent injuries.
• Care for common injuries and emergencies such as choking, burns, cuts and bee stings.
• Communicate effectively with parents.
• Find and interview for babysitting jobs

A 2012 Red Cross poll found that parents want to entrust their children to babysitters trained in first aid, CPR and childcare. More than 80 percent of parents believe that teenage babysitters should be paid more if they have these skills. And parents say that good babysitters are hard to find. In fact, roughly one third of parents had rejected a sitter because of safety concerns, and more than half had ended up staying home because they could not find a babysitter.

There is a market for well-trained teen babysitters, and most parents believe teenage babysitters with childcare training should be paid more. Your gift of Infant CPR and Babysitting Classes will provide an underprivileged youth with the confidence to make smart decisions and stay safe in any babysitting situation, and the credentials to be the best babysitter on the block. To take a class visit www.redcross.org/swny or call 1800-REDCROSS.

Genesee Valley Students Collect for Sandy

Miss Burger and Mr. Oldham’s Sixth graders from Genesee Valley Central School collected over $680 for Hurricane Sandy Relief. Members of the Student Council Emily Daciw, Madison Herdman, Hunter Jones, and Ethan Weston went classroom to classroom on November 2^nd-just days after Hurricane Sandy- to do their part to help New York City and New Jersey.

“I had family in New Jersey that had their house wiped out by the storm,” said Emily, “I wanted to help all I could.”

The students took turns in pairs walking around the school and collecting donations from teachers, students and staff to raise $684.58.The donation will go directly to the relief efforts that could be used to help purchase food and items needed in shelters  and cleaning up the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Front Row: Genesee Valley Students Emily Daciw, Madison Herdman, Hunter Jones, and Ethan Weston (not pictured) hold comfort kits and food that could be used in a shelter in NY and NJ. Back row: Darlene Wells; American Red Cross of Southwestern NY– Allegany County District Manager and Erin Cornell; American Red Cross of Southwestern NY- Communications Coordinator

Happy Thanksgiving, Travel Safe

Many people will travel to visit loved ones for the Thanksgiving holiday and the American Red Cross has travel tips holiday travelers can follow to arrive safely at their destination.

Most holiday travelers get to where they are going by car. To arrive safely, the Red Cross recommends these safety steps for travelers who will drive to visit their loved ones this Thanksgiving:

· Make sure the vehicle is in good working order.

· Start out with a full tank of gas, check the tire air pressure and make sure the windshield fluid is full.

· Buckle up, slow down and don’t drive impaired. Designate a driver who won’t drink.

· Be well rested and alert.

· Use caution in work zones.

· Give one’s full attention to the road. Avoid distractions such as cell phones.

· Observe speed limits – driving too fast or too slow can increase the chance of being in a collision.

· Make frequent stops. During long trips, rotate drivers. If the driver is tired, stop and get some rest.

· Be respectful of other motorists and follow the rules of the road.

· Don’t follow another vehicle too closely.

· Clean the vehicle’s headlights, taillights, signal lights and windows.

· Turn the headlights on as dusk approaches, or if using windshield wipers due to inclement weather.

· Don’t overdrive the headlights.

· If car trouble develops, pull off the road as far as possible.

It’s also recommended to keep an emergency preparedness kit in the vehicle. Useful items include water, snacks, a flashlight, first aid kit, extra cash and blankets. Red Cross Emergency Preparedness kits are available in the Red Cross Store.

For people traveling by air, bus or train, the Red Cross reminds them that the seasonal flu can occur as early as October. If people have come in contact with someone who is sick, perhaps the trip should be postponed as they may be contagious for a week before symptoms appear.

Other safety tips to avoid the flu while traveling include the following:

· Remember that everything someone touches has to be touched by someone else – luggage handlers, etc. Handle one’s own belongings as much as possible. Wash hands often with soap and water.

· Carry hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes and use them to wash hands or wipe down surfaces such as armrests.

· Bring one’s own pillows and blankets – they can act as a shield against the seat itself.

· If someone has to cough or sneeze, do so into a tissue or sleeve.

· Avoid touching the face or eyes.

For more information on how to remain safe while traveling this Thanksgiving, visit the Red Cross web site.

Red Will Continue to Help As Long as Needed

The lights are coming back on for many people whose neighborhoods were slammed by Superstorm Sandy, but millions of people still need assistance rebuilding their lives after the storm.
“We recognize that many people affected by Sandy still need our help –a safe place to stay and a warm meal to eat - and we haven’t forgotten them,” said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Disaster Services for the Red Cross. “Our focus is on serving those in need.”

The Red Cross still has shelters open for people unable to return home and an extensive feeding operation in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention is ongoing. Tuesday night about 2,700 people stayed in shelters. Since Sandy made landfall, responding organizations have provided more than 139,000 shelter stays. The Red Cross has provided 73,000 of those stays and served 5.6 million meals and snacks since Sandy made landfall.

More than 5,800 Red Cross workers are supporting this massive relief operation; 90 percent of them volunteers. Most of the Red Cross emergency fleet – more than 300 vehicles – are mobilized and Red Cross volunteers are also driving through neighborhoods to hand out water, food and relief supplies. We also have rental cars, trucks and other vehicles helping get assistance to where it is needed. Visit http://newsroom.redcross.org for more information.

The Red Cross has also provided more than 57,000 health services and emotional support contacts, and distributed more than 1.7 million relief items.

“People will need help for weeks to come, and the Red Cross will be there,” Shimanski said.

Red Cross Opens Shelter for Victims following an Apartment explosion

At approximately 9:30pm Sunday, November 11, 2012 volunteers from the American Red Cross of Southwestern New York volunteers opened a shelter at Alfred State College following an apartment explosion in Alfred, NY at the request of emergency managers from Alleghany County. The shelter will remain open through the night to accommodate residents of the Rose Apartment Building. The Red Cross will continue to provide the victims with temporary shelter, food and clothing, and will work with the families to provide support during their recovery process.

All disaster assistance offered by the American Red Cross is complementary and made possible by generous contributions from the American people and residents of Allegany County. The United Way organization of Allegany County also provides financial support to the local Red Cross mission.

News From the Front Lines of Hurricane Sandy

From Chautauqua to Suffolk, the Red Cross Responds

The American Red Cross has joined with national and state partners to undertake a massive response to Hurricane Sandy, with a mission to prevent further human suffering and to alleviate any suffering that is still occurring.  For the Southwestern New York Chapter this response began the Wednesday prior to the storm, when we began coordinating with local government and community partners to prepare shelters in the event that flooding should occur anywhere in the north, central, or southern parts of our county.  We identified 10 standby shelters, alerted our local volunteers, and pre-positioned equipment.  On the night of the storm we opened and staffed a shelter at Silver Creek Central School as the creek began to rise.  Local volunteers Charlie Meder, Mary Walker, Patty Hartinger, Jeanie Shiffer, and Fran Heath were on hand throughout the night to provide shelter, food, and other support to anyone who might need it.  Fortunately, no evacuations were required and, locally at least, we began to breathe a sigh of relief.

By the next day, however, we had begun to see the impact of this storm on the coast.  The mobilization and deployment of our volunteers, which had begun before the storm, kicked into high gear again.  Our local and regional Chapter organizations worked tirelessly to move over 30 volunteers from Western New York (11 from right here in SWNY) to the affected areas.  I was one of those who volunteered to help, and was immediately told to depart for the Greater New York area.  By the afternoon of November 1^st I found myself hard at work in a shelter in Deer Park, Long Island, where we had over 120 clients residing.  I spent six days there, and then moved with our clients and staff to a larger shelter about 20 miles away.  This shelter now has nearly 200 clients and the staff members required to support them, and we are also providing meals, snacks, water and other drinks, health services, and mental health services to those affected, many of whom have lost everything.

The stories our clients tell are all different, yet in some ways they are all the same.  They all involve loss; in some cases the loss of cherished routines and a sense of security, in others the loss of all material possessions and any sense of connection to the community, or even to the world.  The best thing that we as Red Cross volunteers do is listen to people, hear their stories, talk to them, provide what additional support we can, and in the end, just lend a shoulder to lean on.

Getting supplies, meals, and water to those affected by this storm is the top priority, and the numbers tell an amazing story about this effort.  As of November 8^th we have deployed 5800 trained Red Cross disaster responders to operations from Virginia to Rhode Island, with the majority in Greater New York and New Jersey.  We have provided over 61,000 overnight stays in more than 250 shelters, served over 3.3 million meals and snacks, and distributed more than 124,000 clean-up kits and hygiene kits.  Your help is urgently needed to ensure we can continue our relief efforts.  If you can, I ask that you do just two things:

1.  Donate money to your local Chapter (325 East Fourth Street, Jamestown, NY), or to www.redcross.org, or to 1-800-redcross, or text the word “redcross” to 90999.  Your money will support our disaster relief operations, both locally and during national response events.

2.  Donate blood.  Hurricane Sandy has caused the cancellation of hundreds of blood drives throughout the northeast, and this has had an impact on our national blood supply.  Whether it is here in Chautauqua County, at your grandchild’s college in the Midwest, or at your favorite vacation spot in the South, you never know when you may need Red Cross blood should you or your loved ones encounter a medical emergency.  Help us keep the nation’s blood supply at the required levels by donating today.  To find the nearest blood drive, please call us at 664-5115, or go to www.redcross.org and click on “give blood.”

Bill Tucker is the Executive Director of the American Red Cross of Southwestern New York, a trained Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) volunteer, and a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) instructor.  He deployed to the Greater New York area on October 31^st as part of the Hurricane Sandy relief effort, and is currently working in a mass care shelter in the Greater New York area.

Red Cross Continues to Support Service Members

The American Red Cross has helped to provide assistance to members of America’s military and their families since the 1860s when Clara Barton was given the title of “Angel of the Battlefield” as she provided care to servicemen. Then, after the Civil War, Barton was authorized by President Lincoln to write letters to the family members to identify the fate of the missing soldiers to provide closure to the grieving parents, family, and friends. Ever since then, the Red Cross has provided emergency services to the Armed Forces.

Included in the services offered is providing an objective, timely, confidential, factual, complete and verified report on emergency situations between members of the armed forces and their families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Family members can send a message through the Red Cross to their relatives whether deployed or in training, anywhere around the world. These emergency messages can include but are not limited to birth of a child, death in the family, or notification of a fatal illness of a family member.

Along with delivering emergency messages to military personnel, the Red Cross, in partnership with military aid societies, offers financial aid to eligible applicants to help with costs for emergency travel, burials or other financial emergencies. Financial aid is available to family members when emergency circumstances limit funds due to their serviceperson being away on active duty, and veterans. Financial aid could include travel, lodging and food costs and could be used for travel expenses of a service member’s immediate family to funeral services of a service member killed on duty, utility assistance, and for emergency loans.

During the holidays, the Red Cross acknowledges that many service men and women are stationed away from their families. Every year the Red Cross organizes the Holiday Mail for Heroes program. For the past six years the Red Cross has partnered with Pitney Bowes, a mail-stream technology company, to continue this holiday tradition that allows Americans to send their best wishes to members of the armed forces.

“Sending a card to a member of our military forces is a simple but powerful gesture that anyone can do to show their support for those in the armed forces who are far from home and possibly in harm's way during this holiday season,” said Kevin Connolly, Vice President and General Manager of North American Service Delivery, Pitney Bowes Management Services and Vice President, Strategic Transformation for Pitney Bowes. “The Holiday Mail for Heroes program allows anyone to easily say ‘thank you’ to members of our military forces at this time of year.” All holiday greetings should be addressed and sent to: Holiday Mail for Heroes P.O. Box 5456 Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Cards must be postmarked no later than December 7; cards received after this date will be returned to senders.  For reasons of processing and safety, participants are asked to refrain from sending “care packages,” monetary gifts, using glitter or including any inserts with the cards.

The Red Cross aims to be of service to all members of the armed services: active members, veterans, reserves, the National Guard and their family members. These Red Cross services are available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. For more information on American Red Cross Services to the Armed Forces please visit redcross.org/swny or visit your local American Red Cross of Southwestern NY office in Jamestown, Olean, or Wellsville. The American Red Cross of SWNY is a proud United Way Agency. 

Red Cross offers 'Safe and Well' to find loved ones

When disasters strike, loved ones can become separated, or lose contact with relatives affected by the disaster. If you have been affected by a disaster you can register yourself or search for others on the Safe and Well website where your loved ones can search for information.

Safe and Well is always available. During large-scale disasters like Hurricane Sandy, when internet and phone lines may be compromised, trained Red Cross volunteers can help you register using a paper form.  Your privacy is preserved. No specific location or contact information is displayed unless you choose to do so in your custom message. People will need to know your name and address or phone number in order to see your post.

If you are having trouble reaching your loved ones in a disaster area, try searching on Safe and Well.

1. Visit www.redcross.org/safeandwell and click “Search Registrants.”

2. Enter your loved one’s full name and then choose Option 1 (search by phone number) or Option 2 (search by complete home address).

3. Click “Search Entries.”

4. Results will only show your loved one’s name, the date and time of registration, and the messages they chose to share—just enough info to provide peace of mind until normal communications can be restored.

5. If your loved one is not listed, and if he or she had a serious, pre-existing health or mental health condition, contact your local Red Cross to initiate an Emergency Welfare Inquiry.

If you are ever in a situation to register yourself in Safe and Well follow these steps:

1. Visit www.redcross.org/safeandwell

2. Click “List Myself as Safe and Well” and enter information into all required fields.

3. Select at least one of the standard messages for posting (i.e., “I am safe and well,” “Family and I are safe and well,” “I am at a shelter,” “I am currently at home”).

4. Enter a custom message, of up to 255 characters, to further tell your story.

5. Click “Submit.” Your registration will now be available to those who search. They will only see your name, the date and time of your registration, and the messages you chose to share. Your registration will automatically drop from the system after 1 year.

For more information on Safe and Well visit www.redcross.org/swny. The American Red Cross of Southwestern NY is a United Way agency. 

Blood Drive Schedule for November

Volunteers Track Feeding Trucks for Latest Locations

In the days after Superstorm Sandy, the American Red Cross has activated a process that tracks the location of their feeding trucks so residents in hard-hit neighborhoods in New York city, parts of New Jersey and parts of West Virginia know where to get the food they need.

A cadre of Red Cross volunteers is making sure the latest information about Red Cross emergency response vehicles – mobile feeding trucks - is easily accessible and available for those in need.

Volunteers Gary Brandel (left) of Long Island and Holly Ann Woloszyn (right) from the Southwestern New York Chapter at work providing client services at the Red Cross shelter in Deer Park, Long Island.

Each hour, dedicated volunteers are individually calling response vehicles to verify their location as they drive through impacted New York and New Jersey communities distributing food and water. The same is done for vehicles in West Virginia hard-hit by snow.

The information they gather is then delivered, in a standardized format, to a centrally-located email box. From this box, one volunteer – a virtual human app – copies and pastes the locations in a blog post featured in the Red Cross Disaster Online Newsroom.

In the wake of the storm, the Red Cross relief operation is growing each day in order to provide the necessary food, shelter, supplies and comfort to more and more people affected by Superstorm Sandy. The Red Cross also has fixed feeding sites in New York and New Jersey.

While there are formal Red Cross feeding trucks in all the boroughs of New York City, including Staten Island, there are also rental cars, trucks and other vehicles distributing supplies and food in neighborhoods.

The response to Sandy is large and very costly and is likely to be the biggest in Red Cross history in the past five years. To date, the Red Cross has helped people in ten states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico affected by Sandy.

To donate, visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. People can also use the “donate” feature on the free Red Cross Apps to support the Red Cross relief response.

Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected.

Cattaraugus Volunteer of the Year Named

On October 17, 2012, the American Red Cross of Southwestern New York, Cattaraugus County District held their annual Volunteer Recognition luncheon at the Red Cross office in Olean, NY. Nearly 25 volunteers were thanked with a beef on weck luncheon provided by the Red Cross.

Red Cross volunteers give countless hours helping with all services of the Red Cross by volunteering at local blood drives, teaching Health and Safety classes, helping others during a natural or man-made disaster, and providing services to the Armed Forces.

Chris Mosher of Richburg was named Volunteer of the Year for her dedication to the Red Cross. A volunteer for three years; Mosher first started answering phones and providing referrals to other agencies and helped at blood drives at the canteen and registration areas. It was not long after Mosher became involved in all of the Red Cross services. She became a CPR/AED/First Aid instructor, a Service to the Armed Forces caseworker, and Cattaraugus County Coordinator of Volunteers. She also helps with anything that is asked of her including serving food at the County Savor the Flavor event in March, and representing the Red Cross at the Olean Mall Health Fair.

“Volunteers like Chris are what keep the Red Cross so strong in Cattaraugus County,” said Rosanna Bonfilio, Cattaraugus County District Manager of the Red Cross. “Without our volunteers, we would not be able to provide the services we do to the people of the county.”

To volunteer with the American Red Cross of Southwestern New York contact your local Red Cross in Jamestown at 716-664-5115, in Olean at 716-372-5800 or in Wellsville at 585-593-1531. The American Red Cross of SWNY is a United Way Agency.

Time to Fall Back- Check those Smoke Alarms

This Sunday, remember to turn your clocks back one hour and get back that hour of sleep you lost in the spring!
The end of Daylight Saving Time is also a great time to make sure you’re prepared for emergencies.
Check the batteries in your smoke alarms, and make sure the alarms work by pushing the test button. It’s also a good time for check carbon monoxide detectors. You should replace the batteries in both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at least once a year.
Make sure your emergency preparedness supplies are ready for the fall and winter. Your kit should include, at the minimum:

• Three-day supply of non-perishable food items and water (one gallon per person per day)
• Flashlight
• Battery-powered or crank radio
• Can opener
• First aid kit
• Copies of important documents
• Special items such as medications, diapers and infant formula

If you already have an emergency preparedness kit, check it for expired food items, and refresh staples such as water, food and batteries. If there have been changes in prescriptions or dietary needs, add new foods and medications as needed.
Update the emergency contact information in your family communications plan. Choose an out-of-area emergency contact that each person in the household can call if he/she becomes separated during a disaster situation.
Taking simple actions like these can help you be better prepared for emergencies. You can find more information on preparedness on redcross.org.

Red Cross Helping People After Sandy Affects Lives in Multiple States

The American Red Cross has a huge relief response underway to Sandy, providing people across a number of states with a safe place to stay, food to eat and comfort during this difficult time.

Thousands of people have spent the night in hundreds of Red Cross shelters since the storm began its onslaught on the country. The Red Cross has already served more than 100,800 meals and snacks and mobilized more than 2,300 disaster workers and almost 200 emergency vehicles so far and more are being deployed.

“This response to Sandy is just getting started. The storm has left devastation in its wake and we will be helping people for weeks to come,” said Assistant Chapter Executive Kathy Burch.  “This will be very costly and the Red Cross needs help now. We ask everyone to support us as we help people recover from this massive storm.”

The response to Sandy is very large and very costly and the Red Cross needs the public’s help now. People can make a financial donation by visiting www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to the local Red Cross Offices in Jamestown at 325 East 4^th Street, in Olean at 452 North Barry Street, and in Wellsville at 112 North Main Street.

The storm has also caused the cancellation of hundreds of Red Cross blood drives, resulting in a loss of as many as 11,000 blood products and people are eligible are asked to especially if they live outside the areas impacted by the storm.

To schedule a donation time or get more information about giving blood, people can visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). To give blood, someone must be at least 17 years of age, meet weight and height requirements and be in general good health. Donors should bring their Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID with them.  Some states allow 16-year-olds to give with parental consent.

More Volunteers to Deploy for Hurricane Sandy

The American Red Cross is continuing a major relief operation throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast to shelter and assist people affected by Superstorm Sandy. Millions awoke this morning to power outages, fallen trees, scattered debris, and flooded neighborhoods and the Red Cross is working hard to get help where it is needed.  Nine volunteers from the Western New York region will be deploying downstate Wednesday morning to assist the relief efforts in some of the areas hardest hit by the storm.

The volunteers will be driving to the operational headquarters in White Plains, NY, where they will then be assigned to the affected areas. Nine additional volunteers were deployed in advance of the storm, bringing the total number of Western New Yorkers assisting in the Red Cross response to 18, and it is expected several more will be deployed in the coming days. Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) from Niagara Falls and Jamestown remain on alert, and are expected to be deployed with additional volunteers within the next 48 hours.

Below is a current list of Western New York volunteers who have been deployed to assist in the Red Cross response, with those deploying Wednesday listed in bold:

NAME, HOMETOWN                      FUNCTION                           

James Collingwood, Amherst           External Relations/Government Operations

Tom Daley, Tonawanda                             Mass Care/Sheltering

Janice Davis, Friendship                           Disaster Health Services

Marianne Evans, Ransomville                 Mass Care/Sheltering

Allison Hall, Buffalo                                   Disaster Mental Health

Michael Hoplight, Niagara Falls             Mass Care/Shelter Supervisor

Tara Hughes, Amherst                              Disaster Mental Health Chief

Norman Kehl, Strykersville                    Mass Care/Sheltering

Jose Latalladi, Buffalo                              Financial & Statistical Information

Rosalind Lind, Medina                             Mass Care/Sheltering

Margaret McGee-Smith, Kenmore        Disaster Mental Health

Diane Sargent, Lockport                         Disaster Assessment

Beth Shook, Cuba                                      Staff Services

Katherine Story, West Seneca             Disaster Health Services

Peter Swales, Springville                      Disaster Assessment

Terry Sweet, P0rtageville                     Mass Care/Sheltering

Noel Varela, Orchard Park                  Mass Care/Sheltering

Dawn Zaker, Niagara Falls                   Mass Care/Sheltering

In the Greater New York region, more than 2,000 residents sought shelter with the Red Cross Monday after Sandy caused widespread power outages, damaged homes and flooded neighborhoods, and those numbers are expected to increase. Nationwide, nearly 11,000 people spent Monday night in more than 250 Red Cross shelters across 16 states. The Red Cross has mobilized 1,700 disaster workers from all over the country who have served more than 25,000 meals and snacks so far. We have also activated 167 response vehicles and shipped in more than 230,000 ready-to-eat meals. This is a huge disaster, bigger than any one organization can handle and the Red Cross is working closely with multiple partners including a variety of civic groups, advocacy organizations, professional organizations and houses of worship to share their expertise and volunteers.

People can let their loved ones know how they are by using the “I’m Safe” button on the Red Cross Hurricane App which can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross. People can also register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website to let loved ones know they are okay. To register, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

 This is a large disaster with an even larger footprint. Financial donations help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy. To donate, people can visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Approximately 300 Red Cross blood drives have already been cancelled due to the storm, and more are expected. The Red Cross is urging immediate blood and platelet donations in areas unaffected by this storm and asks that people in the affected areas consider donating blood once the storm passes through and it’s safe to do so.

Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet height and weight requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height), and who are generally in good health may be eligible to donate blood. To schedule an appointment, please go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.