Iowa Red Cross

Our hearts are heavy as we witness the devastating impact of the recent floods in Texas. The loss of life and destruction are truly heartbreaking. We stand with the affected communities during this difficult time. The American Red Cross is working side-by-side with partners to support emergency shelters — providing food, relief supplies and other critical resources like financial and family travel assistance. Several emergency shelters are open for those seeking refuge or a place to charge their phone and connect with our Disaster Mental Health volunteers. Additionally, there are two reunification centers open to help reconnect families and loved ones. • Reunification requests: If you are searching for someone affected by this disaster, please call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or contact our casework teams online through this 24/7 monitored form: rdcrss.org/4nAM6Dw • Mental health support: If you are struggling with the emotional toll of this disaster, please remember, you are not alone. Call SAMHSA at (800) 985-5990 or text 988 to connect with a trained mental health professional. We are deeply moved by the outpouring of support from across the country. The Red Cross will remain on the ground in Texas in the days and weeks ahead, supporting those affected for as long as we are needed.

More than 80 Red Cross disaster workers are on the ground in Missouri and Kentucky, helping communities devastated by severe storms and deadly tornadoes over the weekend. Volunteers are providing shelter, food and emotional support to those affected. They’re also working closely with partners in impacted areas to identify additional needs and forms of support. The threat isn’t over — more severe weather is expected over the next several days. Everyone in the path of these storms is encouraged to remain vigilant, seek safe shelter, and follow guidance from local officials. To Get Help: If you need assistance or a safe place to stay, please visit a Red Cross shelter. You can locate one by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or downloading our free Emergency app.

Nearly 900 California wildfire evacuees woke up in Red Cross shelters Monday morning, many of whom are struggling after losing everything. Thankfully, more than 350 of our dedicated disaster responders and volunteers are on the ground, ensuring no one has to navigate this heartbreaking time alone. Together with our partners, we’re providing food, shelter, emotional support, and other essential services to those in need. The threat isn’t over — fire weather conditions remain critical this week. Now is the time for people to remain vigilant, be prepared to evacuate and follow instructions from local officials. We want people to know that our shelters are a safe place for everyone. No ID is required, and you don’t have to stay overnight to receive help. As Californians cope with the trauma and massive destruction of the wildfires, we want them to know that they're not alone. To everyone who has supported our relief efforts — whether through donations or by signing up to become a volunteer — thank you. Your compassion is making a difference.

From Florida to North Carolina, those who endured Hurricanes Milton and Helene are doing all they can to move forward amid tragedy and destruction. Our teams remain on the ground across the Southeast, providing support, comfort and relief to those recovering from unimaginable losses. With the help of partners and over 2,100 disaster responders, we’ve been able to: • Provide thousands of people with safe shelter daily. • Set up mobile kitchens in Florida and produce tens of thousands of hot meals a day. • Distribute 790,000+ meals and snacks and 60,000+ relief supplies. • Deliver essential items like generators and laundry and shower trailers to affected areas. • Support hundreds of families in reconnecting with their missing loved ones. These back-to-back storms are prime examples of how the climate crisis is worsening and why communities continue to rely on us for help. We can’t do this work alone, and that’s why your support is desperately needed now more than ever. Give today to help people affected by Hurricanes Milton and Helene by visiting rdcrss.org/3zYRUCR or texting the word HURRICANES to 90999 to donate. Your support will help people recover for the days, weeks and months to come.

Alinda Ewing was sheltering at home when Hurricane Helene swept through her town in Georgia. The storm’s frightening noises woke her in the middle of the night. “It was 1 a.m. I remember the exact time because I looked at the clock,” she said. “I heard a rumble, tumble and a sound like a train. I was just praying, ‘Oh God, don’t let these trees come through my house.’” Unfortunately, Alinda awoke the next morning to find a large tree had fallen on her house. With her home destroyed and no electricity to run her oxygen tank, Alinda went to a Red Cross shelter in Douglas, Georgia. She was grateful for the welcoming smiles from Red Cross volunteers and the around-the-clock support she received, including meals and other resources. “From day one, I’ve been here at the shelter,” Alinda said. “The food is amazing, and it’s just been an experience. You’ve been so helpful. I can’t say it enough.” Hundreds of thousands of customers remain without power across Florida, North Carolina and Georgia. This is a dangerous situation for people with medical conditions like Alinda. We continue to work diligently to ensure thousands of people who have lost everything — including those with medical needs — have a safe place to stay. We’re also distributing tens of thousands of hot meals, water, and relief supplies daily in shelters and affected areas.

Misinformation can spread quickly after a disaster, causing confusion and distrust within communities struggling to recover. Unfortunately, we’re seeing this during our response to Hurricane Helene. Sharing rumors online without first vetting the source and verifying facts ultimately hurts people — people who have just lost their homes, neighborhoods, and, in some cases, loved ones. They are already unsure where to turn for help, and spreading misinformation only adds to that uncertainty. It also disrupts our ability to deliver critical aid and affects the disaster workers who have put their own lives on hold to assist those in need. Here are a few common rumors we have recently seen on social media that we'd like to address: - "The Red Cross isn’t here." This is simply not true. Before Helene made landfall, we prepositioned hundreds of Red Cross disaster responders and thousands of relief supplies across the Southeast to support people affected in the aftermath. Today, more than 1,300 disaster responders are helping people in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia, ensuring they have safe shelter, food, hygiene items, medication and emotional support. - "The Red Cross is confiscating or throwing out donated items." We are not confiscating, removing or discarding donated items. We focus on providing shelter, food, and relief after disasters. While we don't accept physical donations, as managing them takes time and resources away from our mission, we work with community partners who are better equipped with these resources to handle and distribute these items. For information on where donated goods are available, please call 211. - "The Red Cross is taking over shelters." We do not forcefully take over shelters. However, we do provide management support at the request of partners. This is a collaborative effort that no one organization can do alone. Local partnerships are established before disasters to ensure shelter needs are met, and we collaborate with partners to transition evacuation centers into post-storm shelters. We do not take over facilities where partners are still providing services. - "The Red Cross is taking over volunteer groups." This is untrue. While we are working alongside other volunteer groups helping during this disaster, the Red Cross is not taking over their efforts or services. For safety, all Red Cross volunteers must go through a background check and Red Cross training before deploying to support a disaster response. We do not manage or deploy volunteers who haven’t completed this process, including local residents who sign up after a disaster. They must undergo the same screening and training as current volunteers.

Thank you @XULA1925 students who recently helped deliver supplies to #HurricaneLaura evacuees in New Orleans. Over the past several weeks, we've distributed more than 2 million meals and snacks and 270,000 relief items to areas impacted by the storm.

#HurricaneSally caused Clemencia's home in Pensacola to lose power. In need of electricity for her nebulizer machine, she came to a Red Cross shelter for help. During the storm, over 330,000 homes lost power.

Volunteers are working 24/7 to support relief efforts for western wildfires. With their help, we've served over 240,000 meals and snacks, and distributed over 20,000 relief items.

🔥500K+ people in Oregon have been forced to evacuate. 🔥3.1 million acres have been burned in California. 🔥500K+ acres have been consumed in Washington. ⛑1,000+ Red Cross disaster workers are responding. Learn about we're helping those impacted: rdcrss.org/3bQIOYn

Our founder, Clara Barton, strived to help others even when the task was hard. During these crazy times, her words inspire us to continue supporting the needs of people facing disasters, big and small. #ThursdayThoughts

Before she founded the American Red Cross, Clara Barton worked in the U.S. Patent Office. She fought to earn the same pay as her male coworkers and was one of only a few female government employees at the time. #WomensEqualityDay