Regional Executive Corner with Joel R. Sullivan - January 2016

Storms Impacted Thousands of Homes; Red Cross Continues to Help

Last month, we experienced significant weather throughout Tennessee as tornadoes and floods created a path of destruction across the state.  Red Cross workers left family and friends during the holidays to help those in need, a true representation of our mission and a testament to the amazing dedication our staff and volunteers have to serving others.  While our local efforts in response to the December storms have come to a close, many other areas across the country are still recovering from severe weather. Officials report these storms destroyed or caused major damage to more than 2,500 homes in Missouri, Illinois, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.

Hundreds of Red Cross volunteers have shelters open and are providing meals, distributing comfort kits and clean-up supplies, providing health and mental health services and meeting with those affected to help them plan their next steps. Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles are traveling through some affected neighborhoods, making sure people have food to eat and relief supplies.

New storms are causing flooding and landslides in California and Red Cross workers opened an evacuation center for people forced to leave their homes. The Red Cross has more shelters on stand-by if needed.

It is because of the amazing work of our staff and volunteers, the leadership of our Board members and the contributions from donors that we are able to serve these affected communities.  Whether it’s a home fire, widespread flooding, or an ice storm, your support allows us to alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies, big or small.

Thank you for all you do.  I look forward to serving the community with you in 2016!