As the Midwest battles devastating flood waters and braces for a long recovery, the American Red Cross is helping residents in flooded communities by providing food, supplies, and emotional support while also supporting sandbagging operations in nearby states that are preparing for flooding.
To support the flood relief efforts, the Capital Region Chapter has deployed local volunteers to help in some of the areas impacted. As of Thursday morning, five disaster services volunteers from Sacramento and surrounding areas were en route to Illinois to begin a two week assignment as part of the flood relief operation.
At this time the Red Cross has shelters in three Midwestern states for people who cannot return home because of flooding. In Illinois, the Red Cross has shelters open across the state as part of the largest sheltering operation in recent years for that area.
Workers are providing emotional support as well as food and water to people forced from their homes and to emergency personnel fighting the floodwaters. Workers are also handing out relief items like comfort kits, cleaning supplies, buckets and mops.
Hundreds of Red Cross volunteers across the Midwest have served more than 43,000 meals and snacks and handed out more than 7,000 relief items to date.
With storms and flooding expected to continue through the weekend, the Red Cross expects to be providing help for weeks to come. Additional volunteers and supplies remain on standby in the Capital Region and around the country should the need arise.
Gold Country News and Notes 