Local Red Cross Volunteers provide warm blankets to comfort families after disaster.

Winter is in the air. I love the colder temperatures and snuggling into a warm fuzzy blanket on a cold winter day. Like Linus in the Peanuts cartoons, my blanket provides me a sense of security.

However, as a member of our local Disaster Action Team (DAT), I know the colder temperatures often mean more house fires. While responding to these house fires, I give blankets to our clients. Sometimes, if their coat was destroyed in the fire, a client might use a Red Cross blanket to keep warm while they talk with the Firefighters and the DAT. If the family plans to stay with friends or relatives while they repair their home, we give them Red Cross blankets to use there. Many times a Red Cross blanket is the first “new” possession for a client who has lost everything. When I wrap a client in a Red Cross blanket, I am wrapping them in the compassion and comfort of donors like you. 

In the aftermath of a disaster, be it a house fire or a tornado, children and families can be at risk of exposure and hypothermia. A warm blanket helps provide a sense of security and safety. Red Cross blankets provide warmth and protection from the elements, as well as making cots in shelters more comfortable. For $18, you can provide a stack of blankets that will help comfort an entire family as they endure a life-altering trauma. To purchase the gift of warmth and protection, visit the Holiday Giving Catalog today.

Becky

Becky White is the Disaster Specialist for the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter.