MYRTLE BEACH/FLORENCE, S.C., June 3, 2024 – The American Red Cross of South Carolina Eastern Chapter is pleased to be a Duke Energy Foundation grant recipient. The $20,000 grant award will support programs building disaster resiliency in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina.

This award comes at a critical time as families in the Pee Dee are facing the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which experts predict could bring a record-setting number of storms and landfalls to the Southeast. This year's outlook is part of a years-long trend of more frequent and intense climate disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods.

"The American Red Cross is honored to partner with Duke Energy to build resilience in the Pee Dee region through community preparedness programs. This grant will power outreach initiatives equipping local families with essential skills so that they may respond whenever disaster strikes," said Michael Hesbach, Executive Director for the Eastern Chapter of the American Red Cross of South Carolina. "Prepared communities are resilient communities. Knowing how to act in an emergency, big or small, empowers individuals to better protect their homes and loved ones."

The Duke Energy Foundation grant will fund several preparedness programs, including:

• Red Cross Ready Rating™ Program to help local businesses, schools, and other organizations prepare for disasters and emergencies
• Youth Preparedness education programs in local schools preparing families and children for hazards like storms and tornadoes
• Recruitment and training of Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers in the Pee Dee to increase Red Cross capacity to serve the community ahead of, during, and after a disaster event

The grant is part of an effort by Duke Energy to fund more than $500,000 in microgrants to help organizations with roles in emergency preparedness in South Carolina increase their resiliency to major events through advanced preparation, planning, equipment and training.

“Preparing communities to respond to severe weather impacts begins in our neighborhoods and communities,” said Mike Callahan, Duke Energy’s South Carolina president. “Providing our fellow first responders with the tools and training to handle whatever Mother Nature throws our way is necessary in maintaining a resilient and prosperous South Carolina.”

Last year, the Red Cross of South Carolina Eastern Chapter responded to nearly 300 disasters in the Pee Dee region. The Red Cross supported 750 people impacted by local disasters by distributing more than $200,000 in financial assistance. Additionally, the Chapter made more than 1,000 homes safer through educational visits and by creating preparedness plans.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.  The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org/SC or @RedCrossSC

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