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.