2nd Anniversary of Typhoon Haiyan – The Red Cross Response

September 3, 2015. Tolosa, Leyte, Philippines Children from Tanghas Elementary School show off their new Red Cross backpacks. The students continue to enjoy their school, repaired with funds from the American Red Cross in 2014 in partnership with the Spanish Red Cross. Children received backpacks full of supplies to start the school year. The Red Cross installed hand water pumps, constructed six new latrines, and repaired classrooms that were badly damaged by Typhoon Haiyan. Even though it was ravaged by high winds and fallen coconut trees, about 20 families used the school as a shelter in the aftermath of the typhoon. One hundred and thirty-two students, from kindergarten to sixth grade, attend Tanghas Elementary School. The school’s five teachers all survived the storm and returned to teach this year. All the surrounding schools are full, so if this one wasn’t able to reopen, they’d have nowhere else to get their education. The Red Cross trains local people on carpentry, plumping, electrical and construction skills and then pays them to repair schools like Tanghas Elementary. “Without the Red Cross repairing the school, I don’t know what would happen to our children,” said school official, Noresita A. Go. This project is in collaboration with the Spanish Red Cross. Photo by Niki Clark/American Red Cross

September 3, 2015. Tolosa, Leyte, Philippines. Children in Tolosa wash their hands at San Vicente Elementary School. The American Red Cross and Spanish Red Cross installed this running water in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, which damaged and destroyed houses, schools, and infrastructure in its path. Photo by Niki Clark/American Red Cross

September 1, 2015. Dulag, Leyte, Philippines Reynan Cayubit, 29, and Francisco Latoja, 27, work as carpenters at a Red Cross workshop that build houses for Typhoon Haiyan survivors. Both of their houses were destroyed by the typhoon and they have both since rebuilt them using the money they earn at the workshop. Francisco is now paying for his wife to go to school to become a teacher with the money he earns. In an effort to put people back to work after the storm, the American Red Cross trains local carpenters and pays them to construct the houses from start to finish. This project is in collaboration with the German Red Cross. Photo by Philippines Red Cross/ Thyjiacinth Ylla Mavourneen Dyde Ocampo 2015

Two years after Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Philippines, families are rebuilding their lives, livelihoods, and communities thanks, in part, to generous donations to the American Red Cross.

By addressing a wide range of communities’ needs, we were able to help them recover in a way that is sustainable in the long-term, such as investing in water and sanitation, school repair, and small businesses.

Here in the Gold Country Region we were able to raise $1.055M in a day-long telethon that aired on KCRA3, which always shows how great and giving our community is. That was just what was raised locally; but overall, the American Red Cross received $88 million for Haiyan’s relief and recovery efforts. As of September 30, 2015, 98% of these funds have been spent or committed.

Donors would be proud to see what their donations have accomplished in typhoon-affected communities:  beyond lifesaving supplies in the storm’s immediate aftermath, donors would see repaired schools, sturdier homes, healthier water infrastructure, new business, and neighborhoods that are better prepared for future disasters.

Besides raising funds, our board members, volunteers and staff were able to do a lot of outreach with Asian Pacific Islander community groups in our region by providing information and helping them connect with family members that were still in the Philippines. Additionally, our volunteer Kathy Pascoe was helping with the relief efforts remotely by providing Client Case Work support.

This was one of the strongest storms ever recorded and it damaged more than one million homes, so the American Red Cross is helping people repair and rebuild homes made of materials that are more able to withstand strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding.

With American Red Cross support, 10,000 families are now living in safer shelter. This includes more than 3,200 families who are now living in new homes and more than 6,600 who received cash, materials, and technical support to reconstruct their houses to better withstand future disasters.

The Red Cross moved quickly to address people’s immediate needs after the typhoon. After two years, we are still in the Philippines, ensuring that families’ recovery is sustainable and helping people prepare for future disasters that may come their way.

For more information on this relief effort, pictures and video click here.