Red Cross: Flood Victims in South Need Help

Great Falls, MT, June 1, 2016 — The American Red Cross has hundreds of disaster workers on the ground in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, helping the thousands of people trying to recover from the ongoing widespread flooding in those states.

“We need the public’s support now,” said Anna Fernández-Gevaert, spokesperson for the American Red Cross of Idaho and Montana. “Entire families have lost their homes and everything they own to these floodwaters. The Red Cross urgently needs donations to continue its disaster relief efforts in the South and to simultaneously prepare for and respond to other emergencies across the country.”

Several volunteers from the Idaho and Montana region are supporting the Texas response remotely by assessing the needs of individual families who have had to evacuate.

HOW TO HELP Entire families have lost their homes and everything they own in this flooding. Some areas are still inaccessible and approximately 2,800 homes were destroyed or severely damaged across Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. That number could rise in the coming days. The Red Cross response is just beginning. We will be there in the coming weeks as we help those affected begin to recover from the flooding.

RED CROSS RESPONSE The Red Cross continues to operate shelters and provide meals for those affected. Red Cross disaster mental health workers are helping people cope in the aftermath of many challenging situations. Disaster health volunteers are also helping to replace needed items like prescription medications and eyeglasses. In some areas, multi-agency resource centers are available where representatives of various local agencies can assist impacted residents in the coming days with information, basic needs and referrals to programs and services.

Red Cross caseworkers are meeting one-on-one with people to create recovery plans, navigate paperwork and locate help from other agencies. In some situations, the Red Cross may provide direct financial support to people who need extra help.

As of March 22, more than 1,400 Red Cross workers have provided 3,800 overnight stays in 60 shelters, served 158,000 meals and snacks, and distributed 64,000 relief items including comfort kits and cleaning supplies since the flooding began.

“The Red Cross is helping people right now with emergency needs such as shelter and meals, and caseworkers are helping those affected with recovery planning,” Fernández-Gevaert said. “We will continue to support them in the weeks to come as they begin to plan their next steps.”

PLEASE DONATE

 You can help people affected by disasters like floods, as well as countless other crises at home and around the world, by making a donation to the American Red Cross. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. To make a donation in Montana, please go to www.redcross.org/montana or call 1-800-272-6668. Contributions may also be sent to American Red Cross of Montana, 1300 28th Street South, Great Falls, MT 59405.