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.”

We Stand Against Racism with YWCA!

You may already know that the Red Cross of WNC partners with the YWCA of Asheville for Aquatics Programs and Lifeguarding Classes. You might not know, however, about our commitment to Stand Against Racism with the YWCA.

The Stand Against Racism is a movement of the YWCA with the goal of bringing people together from all walks of life - across the country - to raise awareness that racism still exists.

The methodology of the Stand Against Racism is to bring together like-minded organizations that share in a vision of eliminating racism and celebrating the richness of diversity.

Stand Against Racism Day is April 29 but events will be held locally and nationally.

Of the seven principles of the American Red Cross, at least four can be interpreted as principles which stand against racism or discrimination of any kind.

Humanity: The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, born of a desire to bring assistance without discrimination to the wounded on the battlefield, endeavors, in its international and national capacity, to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found. Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace amongst all peoples.

Impartiality: The American Red Cross makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It endeavors to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.

Neutrality: In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Red Cross may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.

Unity: There can be only one Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in any one country. It must be open to all. It must carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory.

Racism, indeed, hurts everyone. Everyone. As Kathryn Liss wrote in the Asheville Citizen- Times: "For those of us who are not targeted, we are hurt by the separation we experience from people whom we might like to know, become friends with, learn from. As long as some people are left out, everyone is kept separate."

And so come April 29, 2011, in principle and in action, we will stand against racism because if we do not, we will fail in our mission to provide humanitarian relief.

We are encouraged by the YWCA's mission to eliminate racism and recognize the importance of doing so! We stand in solidarity with you!

For more information on the week's events and the Stand Against Racism movement, visit the YWCA of Asheville or the Stand Against Racism website. Please consider attending an event.

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From Raleigh resident: "The Red Cross is a blessing to this family"

Gilda Brisbon and her family know what it’s like to be homeless. But when they moved into their home in Raleigh, North Carolina three years ago, they thought that those days were behind them. That all changed on Saturday when their home was destroyed by a tornado and they lost everything but the clothes on their backs.

“My daughter Brittany was home alone when it hit,” said Brisbon. “I had heard the warning sirens and was hurrying to get home. I looked at my watch and it was 3:31 P.M. when I saw the black funnel cloud coming right at me.” She took refuge in a nearby friend’s house with her grandson Anthony, struggling to keep the door closed against the storm.

At their home, daughter Brittany saw the lights flicker on and off, felt the house shake and heard the sounds of the storm. She took refuge in the laundry room, miraculously suffering only minor cuts and bruises. The tornado demolished all of the Brisbon home but the kitchen and laundry room.

“It rained very hard for about five or ten minutes, and then everything got quiet,” she said. “I ran from the house to find my mother, and had to climb over many trees that were knocked down. The houses on either side of ours were untouched, but ours was destroyed.”

The Brisbon’s spent the weekend at the nearby house of their friend, Latesha Winston and her two children. Power was out in the entire neighborhood, however, so when they heard that there was an American Red Cross shelter open, they all took refuge there.

Red Cross Shelter Manager Judy Cox said many of the families staying at the shelter have similar stories. They have lost power, some have had their homes destroyed, and all are extremely grateful for the Red Cross help in their time of trial.

“This is the first time that we have ever stayed at a Red Cross shelter,” Brisbon said. “All of your people are so kind to us and treat us wonderfully. The Red Cross is really a blessing, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Brisbon and her family are not sure what they will do next. Their home has been condemned and they must now find a new place to live, but they have been through tough times before and are positive that they will make it through this challenge that life has thrown at them.

How you can help

The Red Cross depends on financial donations to get help to people affected by disasters. Please consider making a donation today to help to those in need. Call (828) 258-3888 to make a donation or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter at 100 Edgewood Road, Asheville, NC 28804. Write "NC Tornadoes" in the memo of the check to ensure that your donation will go towards disaster relief in eastern North Carolina.

Red Cross of WNC Responding to Storm Damage in Eastern North Carolina

The American Red Cross in Western North Carolina has begun deploying staff, volunteers and resources to the eastern part of the state in the wake of powerful storms and tornadoes that killed at least 21 people and caused extensive property damage over the weeeekend.

The WNC region’s disaster director, Tony Reid, has been deployed to an operations center in Rocky Mount to oversee response activities in the Northeast quadrant of North Carolina, the area hardest hit by the storms. In addition to the deaths and injuries reported, more than 1,600 homes were damaged or destroyed in the eastern part of the state, thousands are without power and numerous Red Cross shelters have been established to temporarily house those displaced by the violent weather.

In addition to Reid, three volunteers from WNC have been dispatched to the hardest hit areas along with Asheville’s Emergency Response Vehicle which is being used to distribute supplies to those affected by the storm and emergency responders.

Regional Red Cross CEO Patrick Fitzsimmons says he expects additional volunteers to be called into service as the eastern part of the state recovers from some of it’s worst spring weather in 30 years. “We have placed all of our disaster response volunteers on stand-by and expect at least some of them to be deployed,” Fitzsimmons said. He added that the regional office has more than 150 trained disaster volunteers on its roster.

Fitzsimmons said the best way individuals in the mountains can help is to make a financial donation to help defray costs of the response operations. Donations can be made on-line at www.redcrosswnc.org , by mailing a check to The American Red Cross, 100 Edgewood Road, Asheville, NC, 28804, or by calling 828-258-3888, Ext. 226. Designate “NC Tornadoes” on your donation.

UPDATE: 3:00pm, 4/18/11: Our texting campaign in now active. You can text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the disaster response efforts in the Eastern Carolina Region. Select "Disaster Domestic" when you are prompted (Disaster in Japan in the second option).

A Message from Japanese Red Cross President Konoe

Transcript:

"On 11 March, a massive earthquake, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, struck Japan’s north-east coast. Then came the tsunami. I felt strong tremors and watched the first television pictures of the remorseless wave breaching our coastal defences and sweeping ships, cars and burning houses across the land. When I reached the disaster area, I was confronted with devastation that defies imagination. This was one of the very worst. The destruction was absolute.

In living memory, this is the first time that the world has experienced such a complex emergency involving tsunami, earthquake and nuclear risks. We need time to process what has happened, although one thing is certain: the thousands of families swept away by the waves are a claim on our conscience.

Japan’s road to recovery will be a long one. But we are deeply touched by the sympathy and goodwill shown across the world. The only response to such tragedy, in the end, is mutual aid and a global spirit of togetherness – in my country, in your country, and in all others. I sincerely appreciate all of your support in the past, the present and the generous help offered for the future. In return for such encouragements, our nation will steadily prove its resilience. And the Red Cross Red Crescent will always stand by those in need."

Music Video Asheville 2011: Our Pick

On Wednesday night, Music Video Asheville announced the winners of the 2011 Music Video Asheville contest.

The 2011 winner of a $500 cash prize for Best of MVA (AND the Crowd Favorite Award!) was Kovacs and the Polar Bear with “Skeleton Crew”. Congrats guys! Check out their video and the rest of the winners here.

So what's this got to do with the Red Cross? Well, one video stood out among the rest to us: Juan Holladay’s weatherization tips video, “Seal It Tight”:

Catchy, isn't it? Weatherization is an important issue to us because it prevents the necessity to seek out other means of heating and cooling homes, which is the number one cause of home fires. And in addition to helping to prevent home fires, of course you'll save on and on and on.