On Sunday, August 18, 2024, extreme weather again affected the tri-state area, with more than 12 inches of rain devastating parts of Connecticut. In New Jersey, heavy rains drenched numerous communities.

The Red Cross Disaster Action Team was dispatched to several Newark locations affected by the storm, including an apartment building on Park Avenue where many families were displaced after the rainfall caused their roof to collapse and building stairwell to take on water.

In that building, at least 64 people in 19 families were left without a place to go. The Red Cross Shelter Strike Team opened a temporary shelter at a local elementary school for those needing a place to stay. More than 40 people visited the shelter and received comfort items, meals and snacks. Red Cross clean up kits and other relief items are available for those who need them. On Monday, 22 people stayed overnight at the shelter.

In addition to our shelter volunteers, disaster health services volunteers are on hand to help anyone in need of those services. Red Cross caseworkers continue to meet with families in Newark this week to provide assistance with their next steps towards recovery.

The Red Cross team is preparing, along with the City of Newark, to keep the temporary shelter open for several days while it is determined if families can return home.

YOU CAN HELP You can help people affected by disasters like home fires, floods, hurricanes and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS ((800-733-2767), or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.