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Quick Links
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Shelter Locations
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A number of shelters are open in Joplin and across the country for those individuals and families who need a safe place to stay, food, emotional support and essential relief supplies. To locate a shelter near you, visit redcross.org/nss for the latest updates.
A number of shelters are open in Joplin and across the country for those individuals and families who need a safe place to stay, food, emotional support and essential relief supplies. To locate a shelter near you, visit redcross.org/nss for the latest updates.
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News
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Joplin Tornado Response
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Red Cross Responds to the Joplin Tornado
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Our thoughts and sympathies are with those who lost loved ones or have suffered through this latest round of deadly tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri. Our top priority now is to provide food, shelter and emotional support for the people whose lives have been disrupted by these tornadoes.
Red Cross workers opened shelters in the damaged areas within hours and are providing people with food, water and a safe place to stay. Red Cross emergency vehicles are distributing food, water and relief supplies in the affected neighborhoods. Trained health services and mental health workers are being deployed to help people cope inthe aftermath of these tragic storms.
People should register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website to let loved ones know they are safe, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). People in the affected areas can list themselves as "safe and well" on the site. Friends and family outside the disaster area can then search for messages from their loved ones by using a pre-disaster phone number or complete address. Disaster victims can also update their Facebook and Twitter statuses through the Safe and Well website.
In addition, the St. Louis Area Chapter is helping to send supplies and support the disaster relief efforts. As weather unfolds, additional trained volunteers are on standby; St. Louis has more than 600 trained disaster volunteers ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.
The Red Cross is working with parters such as the United Way of Greater St. Louis to help meet the needs of Joplin. The Red Cross is also working with emergency management officials, providing support for first responders, staffing the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and teaming up with community partners.
Our thoughts and sympathies are with those who lost loved ones or have suffered through this latest round of deadly tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri. Our top priority now is to provide food, shelter and emotional support for the people whose lives have been disrupted by these tornadoes.
Red Cross workers opened shelters in the damaged areas within hours and are providing people with food, water and a safe place to stay. Red Cross emergency vehicles are distributing food, water and relief supplies in the affected neighborhoods. Trained health services and mental health workers are being deployed to help people cope inthe aftermath of these tragic storms.
People should register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website to let loved ones know they are safe, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). People in the affected areas can list themselves as "safe and well" on the site. Friends and family outside the disaster area can then search for messages from their loved ones by using a pre-disaster phone number or complete address. Disaster victims can also update their Facebook and Twitter statuses through the Safe and Well website.
In addition, the St. Louis Area Chapter is helping to send supplies and support the disaster relief efforts. As weather unfolds, additional trained volunteers are on standby; St. Louis has more than 600 trained disaster volunteers ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.
The Red Cross is working with parters such as the United Way of Greater St. Louis to help meet the needs of Joplin. The Red Cross is also working with emergency management officials, providing support for first responders, staffing the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and teaming up with community partners.
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FAQ
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Last updated on: Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 12:20 p.m.
►The Current Situation
The Current Situation
► What is the Red Cross doing to respond to the Joplin tornado seemingly endless stream of deadly spring weather?
The Red Cross was on the ground right after the tornadoes hit, providing food, shelter and emotional support for people there. A shelter was open within hours of the tornado where more than 100 people spent that night. Red Cross emergency response vehicles in Missouri are out inthe area distributing food, water and relief supplies in the affected neighborhoods. Additional Red Cross workers are arriving and relief materials like toothbrushes and shampoo, tarps, coolers, rakes and other clean-up supplies are being sent in. Trained health services and mental health workers will help people cope int he aftermath of these tragic storms. All of our thoughts and sympathies are with everyone who has lost loved ones or suffered through this seemingly endless stream of deadly spring weather.
Here is the most current situation:
Severe weather continues to batter the country, and the Red Cross is responding to flooding in Montana even as tornado relief efforts continue in Joplin, Missouri and other areas.
- In Joplin, more than 115 people sought refuge in Red Cross shelters Tuesday night. The Red Cross continues to feed people and distribute meals throughout the affected neighborhoods in Joplin where teams of Red Cross mental health workers are helping people cope in the aftermath of the tornado.
- We also are preparing for additional flooding in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota as rivers throughout the area threaten to overflow their banks.
- In just the past week, the Red Cross has started new disaster operations in Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin while simultaneously continuing to help people in the South affected by flooding and last month’s tornados.
- More than 150 people in Montana sought refuge from flooding Tuesday night while food and water are being delivered throughout the Crow Nation where flooding has left people stranded in their homes.
- Shelters are also open in South Dakota and North Dakota for residents forced from their homes due to flooding, and in Minnesota where more than 40 people have been displaced from last week’s severe weather.
- Emergency response vehicles are distributing comfort items like toothbrushes and soap, as well as clean-up materials like coolers, rakes, tarps, gloves and trash bags, even stuffed animals for the kids.
- Health services staff at emergency aid stations are assessing people’s health needs and helping with things such as lost prescriptions and eyeglasses.
Thousands of Red Cross workers continue to help people affected by the weekend’s devastating tornadoes, those living along the Mississippi River, and those still struggling to recover from the flooding and tornadoes which destroyed entire communities in April.
- In Alabama, more than 90 people are still seeking refuge in Red Cross shelters as the massive clean-up from April’s tornadoes continues.
- The need is great for emotional support in these states. These areas have been hit by multiple disasters over the past year, and trained Red Cross mental health workers are helping people cope with these tragedies.
- The Red Cross has shelters open for people affected by the storms in Oklahoma, Missouri, Alabama, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana, Tennessee and Mississippi.
Red Cross workers continue to help people affected by flooding along the Mississippi River as well as those still seeking to recover from the flooding and tornadoes which destroyed entire communities over the past two months. The need is great for emotional support in these states. These areas have been hit by multiple disasters over the past year, and trained Red Cross mental health workers are helping people cope with these tragedies.
Since the end of March, the Red Cross has launched 36 large disaster responses across 25 states reeling from the devastation left behind after this spring’s flooding and tornadoes. The Red Cross is helping people today and will still be providing assistance in the weeks to come. Since March 31, American Red Cross has:
- Served more than 2.4 million meals and snacks.
- Opened more than 240 shelters and provided 22,000 overnight stays
- Provided more than 54,000 mental health and health consultations
- Handed out more than 1.2 million relief items like toothbrushes and shampoo, tarps, coolers, rakes and other clean-up supplies.
- Deployed more than 10,000 trained disaster relief workers from all 50 states.
► Can the Red Cross help me find a missing loved one?
The whereabouts of hundreds of people in the Joplin area are still unknown. People can let loved ones know they are safe by registering on the Red Cross Safe and Well website at www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Computers are available to register in most Red Cross shelters.
- People in the affected areas can list themselves as “safe and well” on the site. Friends and family outside the disaster area can then search for messages from their loved ones by using a pre-disaster phone number or complete address.
- Disaster victims can also update their Facebook and Twitter status through the Safe and Well website.
- From a smart phone, visit www.redcross.org/safeandwell and click on the “List Yourself as Safe and Well” or “Search for friends and family” link. As of Tuesday, more than 1,000 people had registered and about 59,000 people had searched the Safe and Well site to find information about their loved ones.
►Is the Red Cross able to help in Joplin while already responding to huge disasters along the Mississippi River and areas of the south devastated by torandoes which hit earlier this spring?
The Red Cross is constantly planning for and working on response to large-scale disasters in this country and around the world. We have a trained network of more than 60,000 disaster volunteers ready to help. There are emergency supply warehouses across the country, especially in disaster-prone areas, where disaster relief supplies are stored, ready to move at a moment's notice. The Red Cross has the ability to serve a million meals a day, and has enough cots, blankets and comfort kits for about 350,000 shelter residents.
Knowing no one organization can do everything alone, we have also developed and strengthened our partnerships with many organizations and businesses which support Red Cross relief efforts in many ways, from feeding those affected and providing services in shelters, to conducting disaster assessments, offering spiritual care and health and mental health services, and teaching preparedness information throughout areas where disasters are expected.
Donating to the American Red Cross
►What can I do to help?
We want to thank you for helping the Red Cross meet the immediate needs of the affected families. The best way for us to help those affected by disasters is with financial donations to the Red Cross. This allows the Red Cross to meet the immediate individual needs of those affected by the current and future disasters, and it also puts money back into the devastated community’s economy. Your donation will help the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other basic needs as needed.
Please consider making a donation today to help the thousands of people who have been affected by the multitude of large disasters which have affected more than half of the country since the end of March.
- The Red Cross estimates that it will spend as much as $41 million responding to the disasters which have occurred since March 31.
- The estimate includes the continuous string of disasters that have hit the United States over the past two months, including the wildfires in Texas, the dozens of tornadoes which devastated areas of the South and Midwest and flooding in the northwest and along the Mississippi River.
- Over the past two months, the Red Cross has raised more than $39 million for disaster response.
- Nationally, the Red Cross must raise about $378 million annually to respond to an average of 70,000 disasters each year, and these major disasters over the past several weeks add $41 million more to this amount.
- Our work isn’t done yet, since tornadoes are historically frequent throughout June and the 2011 hurricane season, starting June 1, is predicted to be above average.
►What should I do to make a donation?
Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross. The Red Cross is not a government agency and relies on the support of volunteers and donors to sustain its programs and services. You can make a secure online donation by visiting our website or you can make a donation over the phone or by mail.
Donations can be made in the following ways:
Online:
By Phone: 314-516-2800
By Mail: American Red Cross, Attn: Development, 10195 Corporate Square, St. Louis, MO 63132
For third-party fundraising questions, refer the caller to Liz Haynes at 314.516.2782.
►Can I make an in-kind donation? (i.e. clothes, water, supplies)?
The American Red Cross initially responds to most relief efforts with monetary support. On some rare occasions, the Red Cross will accept bulk in-kind donations. The best way for the public to help right now is with financial donations. At this time, the American Red Cross cannot accept product donations, however, we are more than happy to take your name and number, and if the need arises for in-kind donations, a member of our development team will contact you. We also encourage you to contact the United Way at 2-1-1 for more information about partner organization relief efforts, as other local organizations may be accepting in-kind, clothing, food, water, etc. donations.
While the Red Cross is currently not accepting clothing donations for the relief efforts, the St. Louis Area Chapter recently partnered with Merchandise Pickup Service, a company that collects, processes and sells used clothing to thrift stores with proceeds benefiting the Red Cross. They have been in business for over 30 years. Your donation will help provide relief in times of disaster in our local community. To find a complete list of donation sites, click here. Or another good way to turn clothes into cash is to have a garage sale and then donate the money to the relief efforts.
Donating Blood
The Red Cross blood supply is currently stable, but tragic events likes these are a reminder of the importance of a sufficient blood supply each and every day. Eligible blood donors are asked to make a commitment to donate regularly and to schedule an appointment to give by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visiting www.redcrossblood.org .
Volunteering for the Tornado Relief Efforts
►How can I volunteer to help?
Thank you for your interest in volunteering to help respond to the tornado relief efforts! We are currently utilizing our registered, trained and active disaster volunteers to respond to the current weather situation. It is our policy to use our active, trained and screened volunteers to respond in our community when a disaster strikes before accepting spontaneous volunteers.
We encourage you to submit an application to start the process of becoming a registered and trained volunteer to help with future disasters. We would love for you to be part of our Red Cross family of volunteers and we look forward to working with you. In the rare event that the current situation demands more volunteers than we have, you may be contacted to assist prior to training.
Contact Volunteer Services By Phone: 314-516-2876
Thank you again for your interest in the St. Louis Area Chapter of the American Red Cross!
If you are interested in helping with the clean-up efforts around the community, we encourage you to contact the United Way at 2-1-1. They will be more than happy to connect you with local clean-up efforts. Those with cell phones only should call 800-427- 4626.
Media Information
►I am a member of the media and would like information on how the Red Cross is responding.
Please contact our media hotline at 314.406.1920 or visit our newsroom. Our staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
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