At a first aid post in Petionville, an American Red Cross worker looks over a young girl’s injuries. The American Red Cross is supporting the Haitian Red Cross with supplies and logistical and telecommunication help.
Photo:Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross
First Lady Michelle Obama Supports Survivors of Earthquake in Haiti
Local Red Cross Volunteer Among Specialists Headed to Haiti
Brigitte Gaillis American Red Cross International Services Volunteer
A native French speaker who is fluent in English and also knows Dutch, local disaster volunteer Brigitte Gaillis followed her heart to became an international delegate for the American Red Cross in 2004. The Marietta resident is one of dozens of pre-trained, technically experienced U.S. volunteers and reservists the Red Cross deploys to help with its extensive humanitarian relief efforts worldwide.
At the request of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), the American Red Cross deployed Brigitte to Haiti to help coordinate relief efforts one day following the devastating January 12th earthquake. No stranger to this disaster-weary country, Brigitte’s first international assignment was in Haiti following the Gonaives floods in September 2004, and she has returned there on serveral operations, where she continued to volunteer until May 2005. Her expertise lies in helping to asses the level of damage and determine how best to provide Red Cross aid for the country’s most vulnerable people.
The mother of two grown children says her experiences have taught her not to complicate life with necessary issues and to be happy with what she has. She considers her volunteer work her job and she does it to the best of her abilities, finding great satisfaction in the activities that directly impact people, such as distributing food, providing clean water, tents and cooking utensils, and enabling women to feed their families.
Updated January28th at 4:45 pm
American Red Cross Responds Now and Looks Ahead in Haiti
As of today, the American Red Cross has spent or committed more than $67 million to meet the most urgent needs of earthquake survivors, with $30 million going to the World Food Program, which will feed up to 1 million people in Haiti for a month.
On Tuesday, January 12, less than one hour before sunset, a 7.3 earthquake struck Haiti near the capital of Port-au-Prince, causing catastrophic damage and loss of life.
The Red Cross, through the generous support of the American public, is delivering relief through first aid posts, hospitals, relief distribution sites, water trucking programs and family linking stations.
Shelter remains an urgent need on the ground. The Red Cross is working to provide a range of assistance, including relief items like family-sized tents and kits with tarps, ropes and tools to construct shelter. At the same time, we are assessing needs and developing a strategy to meet long-term housing reconstruction needs.
While logistical challenges are immense, aid is getting through and we continue to do everything possible to speed the process.
During this emergency phase of the relief operation, the Red Cross is focusing its resources on several areas:
Pre-packaged meals (3 million) and funding for World Food Program efforts;
Supplies and funding needed to provide clean drinking water;
Shelter items such as blankets, tarps, sleeping mats and tents;
Health needs of Haitian survivors as well as support to Haitian families in Haiti and the US. This includes providing relief supplies, shipment of blood products, family linking services and providing Red Cross volunteers to the USNS Comfort, a hospital ship.
What took minutes to destroy will take many years and the collective support of governments and relief agencies across the world to mend. The American Red Cross will collaborate on long-term recovery projects in Haiti and is planning for a level of support similar to that provided following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
Our expertise lies in such areas as the construction of water and sanitation systems, providing emotional support and healthcare, building shelters, restoring livelihoods and preparing communities for the next disaster.
Red Cross Relief Highlights:
This is the largest, single-country personnel deployment in global Red Cross history. The number of response teams sent to date is greater than the number of teams sent to 14 countries after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Each Red Cross team has its own roles and expertise, and we’re all working together.
More than 43 flights carrying Red Cross aid have arrived in Haiti. Additional planes, ships and trucks carrying Red Cross humanitarian assistance are en route.
The Red Cross and its partners are distributing other relief items, such as hygiene kits, blankets and water containers, for more than 1,000 families (5,000 people) each day – with plans to increase this number daily.
Red Cross responders are purifying the water supply available in country and are delivering 500,000 litres each day – enough for more than 33,000 people.
Red Cross responders from eight countries are treating more than 700 people each day at medical facilities throughout the capital city.
Concerns About Loved Ones Living or Traveling in Haiti.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has established a family linking Web site, enabling persons in Haiti and abroad to search for and register the names of relatives missing since the earthquake www.icrc.org/familylinks
If you’re trying to reach a U.S. citizen living or traveling in Haiti, you should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747.
How You Can Help
We are grateful for the generous support of the American people, which will help survivors cope and recover for years to come. The best way to help is with a financial contribution to the Red Cross International Response Fund. Donors can designate their gifts to Haiti relief.
Mail: American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013
The Red Cross is also receiving money through a third party mobile fundraising effort sponsored by Mobile Accord.Mobile donors can text "Haiti" to 90999 to send a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross. The funds will go to support the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.
Donations of Goods
The Red Cross does not have the capacity to accept in-kind donations of items. Though well intentioned, this is not the most effective way to help those in need. For more details click here.
Volunteering
At this time, we are only deploying Red Cross volunteers specially trained to manage international emergency operations. Please consider supporting your community's local needs by volunteering with your local Red Cross.
Blood
The American Red Cross is meeting the needs of this tragedy through current supplies. At this time we do not anticipate the need for a special donor appeal to support our efforts. As always, blood donors are encouraged to call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit us online at redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.
Updated Friday, October 16, 12:10 p.m.
Red Cross Continues to Help Families Recover from Georgia Floods
Family Displaced by Flooding
Thanks Red Cross
Johnie Chavours and her sons stayed in an American Red Cross shelter after the flooding in Georgia forced them from their home.
People in need of Red Cross assistance should call our Call Center at 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767), open weekdays from 8:15 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
23 Counties Eligible for Individual and/or Public Assistance from FEMA
Carroll, Catoosa, Cobb, Chattooga, Cherokee, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Stephens, and Walker counties are eligible for individual and public assistance.
Bartow and Coweta counties are eligible for individual assistance only.
Crawford, Dawson, Dooley, Houston, Peach, and Taylor are eligible for public assistance only.
The number to call for FEMA assistance is 1-800-621-3362.
Red Cross Continues to Help Families Devastated by Georgia Floods
Red Cross caseworkers continue to meet with families devastated by the Georgia floods. Since flooding began on September 21, more than 800 Red Cross volunteers have been working to help families devastated by the floods.
To date, the Red Cross has provided emergency assistance to thousands of people through a variety of services, including financial assistance, sheltering, feeding, distribution of clean-up supplies and personal hygiene kits, and emotional support and counseling.
Within 24 hours of the storms, the Red Cross opened eight shelters, providing
a safe haven for nearly 500 people, and it has served more than 44,000 meals. The Red Cross is also working with local partners to connect those in need with available community resources.
Vice President Joe Biden was in Georgia recently to tour the flood damage. After visiting a Red Cross shelter in Cobb County, he said, “The Red Cross is doing God’s work.”
Disasters Change Lives, You Can Too:
Here’s How to Help
How do we prepare for the unpredictable? How do we ensure that we can care for individuals and families when something happens? We rely on the generosity and willingness of people and businesses to help others in need. We rely on you.
Floods are among the most costly natural disasters in terms of human hardship and economic loss. You can help those affected by the floods by making a donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund today.
Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of all disasters. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters.
