Red Cross Sends Help after Deadly Tornadoes Blast through the South

The American Red Cross is helping thousands of people after Wednesday and Thursday's deadly tornadoes destroyed neighborhoods throughout the southern region of the country.

Hardest hit was Alabama, where Governor Robert Bentley has activated National Guard troops to help in the devastated areas. The Red Cross has sent disaster workers, materials, and equipment into the state. Nearly 40 emergency response vehicles are on the way, along with 25,000 ready-to-eat meals. Red Cross Blood Services is moving hundreds of blood products into the area and Red Cross nurses and mental health works are being deployed to help people cope with the aftermath of this disaster.

More than 1,600 people sought refuge in 65 Red Cross shelters Wednesday night as the storms forced them from their homes. Red Cross shelters are open in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas.

The American Red Cross of Western North Carolina has deployed disaster volunteers to Madison County and emergency response vehicles and staff to eastern North Carolina to respond to severe wind damage. The region has also deployed 40 Emergency Response Vehicles, $25,000 meals and several hundred units of blood to Alabama, the state that's been hit the hardest by spring storms and floods.

More than half of the country has been affected by this continuous band of damaging weather, disrupting people’s lives from North Dakota to the East Coast. In the last several weeks, Red Cross disaster workers have provided thousands of overnight stays in shelters, distributed thousands of clean-up and comfort kits and served hundreds of thousands of meals and snacks.

Those who want to help the people affected by these disasters, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Their gift will enable the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other disaster assistance. Contributions may be sent to the American Red Cross at 100 Edgewood Road, Asheville, NC 28804 or may be made online at www.redcrosswnc.org. The American Red Cross has also set up a special texting campaign for the Southern storms, which can be made by texting REDCROSS to 90999. A $10 charge will be added to the donor’s phone bill.

“The American Red Cross is making sure people have a safe place to stay and food to eat. We will be there as long as needed as families struggle to get through this terrible tragedy.” said Patrick Fitzsimmons, Regional Executive Direction of the Western North Carolina Red Cross. “We are working in communities across a large part of the country helping people affected by these storms.”