Fueled by strong winds and dry conditions, devastating wildfires are threatening communities in Southern California, and the American Red Cross is making sure those affected have a safe place to stay, food to eat and a shoulder to lean on.
Two weeks after igniting, the devastating Thomas Fire is still threatening communities in Southern California, and the American Red Cross is there to provide comfort and support. Fire conditions remain critical, and despite increases in containment, tens of thousands of people still face evacuation orders. Officials report that the December fires have already damaged or destroyed some 1,100 homes and are threatening as many as 18,000 additional homes. Burning 270,000 acres by itself, the Thomas Fire is now the third-largest blaze in California history – and by the end of December 17, it was only 45 percent contained.
The Red Cross is working alongside numerous partners to make sure those affected have a safe place to stay, food to eat and a shoulder to lean on during this challenging time as the holidays approach. Sunday night, about 510 people took refuge from the fires in two Red Cross and community shelters. People coming to Red Cross shelters can expect hot meals, comfort and the opportunity to reconnect with loved ones and get information. With the help of partners, the Red Cross has already served more than 34,300 meals and snacks.
Red Cross disaster workers are also providing health services such as replacing lost medications and eyeglasses, emotional support and spiritual care to people whose lives have been turned upside down by these wildfires. Some 4,000 contacts have already been made. As evacuation orders have been lifted in some areas, the Red Cross is distributing relief items including sifters, masks, trash bags and work gloves. Some 18,900 relief items have already been given out. About 500 Red Cross disaster workers are supporting relief efforts now.
Red Cross volunteers are working to ensure that everyone – including those with access, mobility or other functional needs – get the best possible help during this challenging time.
You can help people affected by disasters big and small, like the wildfires and countless other crises, by making a donation to support Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to, and help people recover from disasters big and small.
Call, click, or text to give: visit redcross.org, call 1-800 RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
CORPORATIONS HELP The generous donations from members of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) and the Disaster Responder Program enable the American Red Cross to prepare communities for disasters big and small, respond whenever and wherever disasters occur and help families during the recovery process.
ADGP $1 Million members are: American Airlines; Anheuser-Busch Foundation; Anthem Foundation; Bank of America; Caterpillar Foundation; The Clorox Company; ConocoPhillips; Costco Wholesale; Delta Air Lines; Disney; Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation; FedEx; General Motors Foundation; Grainger; The Home Depot Foundation; LDS Charities; Lowe's Companies, Inc.; Mazda North American Operations; Microsoft Corp.; Nationwide Foundation; New Balance Foundation and New Balance Athletics; PepsiCo Foundation; State Farm; Target; UPS; VSP Global; and Walmart and the Walmart Foundation.
ADGP $500,000 members are: Altria Group; American Express; Aon; Boise Paper; Capital One; Cisco Foundation; Citi Foundation; Darden Restaurants, Inc. Foundation; Discover; Edison International; Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation; Farmers Insurance; Ford Motor Company; Humble Bundle; International Paper; John Deere Foundation; Johnson Controls; LabCorp; McDonald’s Corporation; Medtronic Foundation; Meijer; Merck Foundation; Mondel_z International Foundation; Procter & Gamble Company; PwC; Reynolds American Foundation; Ryder; Southwest Airlines; Tata Consultancy Services; TD Ameritrade; The TJX Companies, Inc.; United Airlines; The Wawa Foundation; and Wells Fargo.
Disaster Responder Program members are: Adobe; AdvoCare International L.P.; Alcoa; Alliance Data; Assurant; Astellas USA Foundation; AT&T; AvalonBay Communities, Inc.; AXA; The Ball Foundation; BMW of North America; BNY Mellon; CarMax; Cox Automotive; Duke Energy; Entergy Corporation; Harbor Freight Tools Foundation; Hewlett Packard Enterprise Foundation; HP Foundation; IBM Corporation; Ingersoll Rand Foundation; The J.M. Smucker Company; Land O’Lakes, Inc.; Mastercard; Morgan Stanley; Neiman Marcus Group; Northrop Grumman Corporation; Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation; Prudential Foundation; SC Johnson; SERVPRO; Southeastern Grocers Home of BI-LO Harveys Winn Dixie; Standard Textile; Toyota; U-Haul International; United Technologies Corporation; The USAA Foundation; U.S. Bank; and Visa.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
Support all the urgent humanitarian needs of the American Red Cross.
Support all the urgent humanitarian needs of the American Red Cross.
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