Motorists are stranded along I-45 along North Main in Houston after storms flooded the area, Tuesday, May 26, 2015. Overnight heavy rains caused flooding closing some portions of major highways in the Houston area. (Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle via AP)
The Red Cross is helping people in Texas and Oklahoma where devastating floods and tornadoes pounded the states over the weekend. More than 220 people spent their Memorial Day in Red Cross shelters in the two states. Governors in both states declared disasters in more than 80 counties after the extreme weather destroyed or damaged thousands of homes and left thousands without power.
In addition, Red Cross disaster mental health counselors are reaching out to recent victims on-the-ground in Texas. Read how counselors like Richard and Carolyn Newkirk use their specialized skills to counsel children and more in a new article.
On April 25 a devastating earthquake struck Nepal, and to date more than 5,000 people are confirmed to have died. The citizens of Nepal, the surrounding countries and over 300,000 tourists are sleeping in the streets as the aftershocks continue. The American Red Cross is actively assisting the Nepal Red Cross with personnel, emergency supplies and cash.
On Wednesday, April 29, the Gold Country Region held a 15-hour telethon hosted by KCRA and raised nearly $500,000 to support this effort! Whenever the need has arisen, Gold Country donors have consistently stepped forward to help those who have lost everything, and we are incredibly grateful for that support!
You may have heard that on Tuesday, May 5 the nonprofit organizations in the greater Sacramento area will participate in “The Big Day of Giving” and hope to raise $5,000,000 for the people in our community. While the support for Nepal was awe-inspiring, the truth is that the need here at home is just as significant. Red Cross volunteers respond to a local home fire or other disaster EVERY 11 HOURS.
The people we help tell us that even though we are known for large disasters, to anyone who loses their home it doesn’t matter how widespread the disaster is. What matters is that when everything is lost, the Red Cross is there to provide food, shelter, medical support and comfort. We are able to do this solely thanks to the generosity of our donors.
When the Big Day of Giving comes to town next Tuesday, we hope you will be able to support the Red Cross once again. The next fire we are called to could be in your town, your neighborhood – it could be your own home. If you
supported the people of Nepal on the 29th, we thank you and ask that you consider giving again to help your neighbors as generlously as you helped a stranger. If you cannot we ask that you forward this email to friends who may still be looking for the right charity to support on May 5.
Thank you,
Kathleen Weis, CEO
American Red Cross Gold Country Region
Gold Country News and Notes 