TAMPA, Fla. – November 20, 2023 – In 2023, more frequent and intense weather disasters took a devastating toll on people in the U.S. who turned to the American Red Cross for help. In data tracked by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), the nation experienced an all-time high of 25 separate billion-dollar disasters in 2023 (through November 8), on top of the nation’s hottest summer on record.
In 2023, Hurricane Idalia became the eighth major hurricane to make landfall on the Gulf Coast in the last seven years, and the third storm to impact Florida in two years (Idalia/Ian/Nicole). Locally, the Red Cross is still working with neighbors displaced by Idalia nearly three months ago, while another dedicated team focuses on long-term recovery from Ian.
Outside our state in 2023, local volunteers responded to catastrophic atmospheric rivers in California, deadly tornadoes in the South and Midwest, a powerful typhoon in the U.S. territory of Guam, 1-in-100-year flood in the Northeast, and the deadliest wildfires of the last century in Hawaii.
More than 85 trained disaster workers, both volunteers and staff, have deployed outside the region this calendar year. Visit our regional year-in-review webpage for more local highlights from 2023.
INCREASING NEEDS AMID EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS These weather disasters are examples of a worsening national trend in which the Red Cross has responded to nearly twice as many large disasters across the country as it did a decade ago. This year’s onslaught of large disasters drove an increase in emergency lodging provided by the Red Cross and partners -- with overnight stays up more than 50% compared to the annual average for the previous five years.
With this trend, the Red Cross is racing to adapt and grow its disaster response capacity across the country. As part of this national work in 2023, the Red Cross distributed $108 million in financial assistance directly to people after disasters of all sizes.
In Central Florida, the Red Cross has initiated a special disaster resilience program known as the Community Adaptation Program (CAP). A CAP team of three based in Sarasota County is one of 15 across the U.S. designed to strengthen the capability and capacity of select local partners -- both before and after disasters strike.
Find out more about the Red Cross and its work on the climate crisis at redcross.org/climate.
HOW TO HELP Join us on GivingTuesday, November 28, or during the holiday season to provide relief and hope when it matters most.
WITH APPRECIATION The generosity of community partners enables the Red Cross to prepare and respond when disasters strike. With tremendous gratitude, we acknowledge our 2023 Ready 365 Giving Circle members for their annual support: BayCare, Bloomin’ Brands, Circle K, Darden Restaurants, L3Harris Technologies, Mattamy Homes, The NASCAR Foundation, Orlando City Soccer, Publix, Raymond James, The Spurlino Family Foundation, Tupperware, Badcock Home Furniture & More, The BRANDT Foundation, LEGOLAND Florida, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Yankees, Erik Abrahamson (Abrahamson & Uiterwyk), Avatar Non-Profit Inc., Hilton Grand Vacations, Lockheed Martin, William G. & Marie Selby Foundation, TECO Tampa Electric, TECO Peoples Gas, TopBuild, Vinik Family Foundation and the Tampa Bay Lightning, Walmart, Yara International, Associated Construction Products Inc. (ACP), Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Metal Industries Foundation Inc., Oracle, SouthState Bank, Space Coast Credit Union, TD SYNNEX, The Joe and Sarah Galloway Foundation, Arbitration Forums, Fay-Constructive Foundation Inc., MarineMax, Paul B and Constance D Hunter Charitable Foundation, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation, UMA Education Inc.
The American Red Cross of Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands serves 19 Florida counties through five chapters: Florida’s Space Coast (Daytona Beach), Greater Orlando, Mid-Florida (Winter Haven), Southwest Florida (Sarasota) and Tampa Bay; and the Virgin Islands territories of St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John and Water Island. For more information, visit redcross.org. Also find us on Facebook and Twitter.
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 visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
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