Red Cross launches effort to #help1family recover from emergencies

The American Red Cross Virginia Region is holding its 2016 Giving Day on Thursday, April 21. The one-day event is designed to rally the commonwealth public to support the Red Cross as it meets its critical and lifesaving mission of helping families who have been affected by disaster or emergencies.

“Imagine if every American helped just one family in the U.S.,” said Red Cross President and CEO Gail J. McGovern. “Think of how much good we could do – together – on Giving Day.”

Every year, the Red Cross responds to nearly 66,000 disasters nationwide – the vast majority of these are home fires – where a family has lost everything; the roof over their heads, their clothes, and their most cherished possessions. In fiscal year 2015, the Virginia Region assisted 1,570 families following local emergencies, assisted 10,695 military families and trained 108,695 people in lifesaving skills.

“Our mission is to help those in need in Virginia, but we certainly wouldn’t be able to fulfill our mission without the generous support of the community,” said Reggie Gordon, CEO for the American Red Cross Virginia Region. “By participating in our Giving Day, your help allows us to provide vital assistance to people impacted by fires and other disasters.”

It takes just $88.50* to support a family of three with basic essentials for one day following a disaster that affects a community such as a tornado. A gift to our one-day awareness effort can provide urgent relief like a day’s worth of food, plus blankets and other essentials.

Giving Day’s #help1family effort can help a family begin to recover from a disaster by:

Supporting a family in urgent need by providing them with a day’s worth of food and other essentials.

Delivering blankets to ensure families stay warm and can get a good night’s sleep.

Providing clean-up kits after a disaster including vital items like mops, buckets and disinfectant.

Donations can be made now by visiting redcross.org/givingday.  A $10 donation to the Red Cross can be made by texting REDCROSS to 90999. All donations will be processed on April 21, 2016.