American Red Cross response to Hurricane Katrina      

What is being done, how to help and how to find loved ones

[SEPT. 7, 2005]  WASHINGTON -- The American Red Cross has launched an immense emergency relief effort to meet unprecedented humanitarian needs in the wake of Hurricane Katrina -- mobilizing workers and supplies to address the urgent, critical needs of disaster victims, which include providing emergency shelter, food, water, clothing, counseling and other assistance.

What is being done, how to help and how find loved ones

• Evacuees -- More than 145,000 evacuees are being sheltered by the Red Cross.

• Shelters -- More than 580 Red Cross shelters have been opened in 17 states.

• Emergency response vehicles -- More than 270 Red Cross emergency response vehicles are responding.

• Relief workers -- More than 18,000 trained Red Cross workers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands responded to help their neighbors in need.

• Feeding -- More than 4 million hot meals and 3.9 million snacks have been served to date, in coordination with the Southern Baptist Convention.

• Health and preventative care -- Visit www.redcross.org or www.cdc.gov for information about health strategies and preventative measures for those in affected areas.

• Reuniting families -- People looking for loved ones can go to www.redcross.org and click on "Family Links Registry" to register themselves, a missing relative or view the existing list of registrants; or call 1 (877) LOVED-1S [1 [phone]]. To date, approximately 94,000 people have registered on the website and more than 45,000 have called the toll-free line.

• Funds received to date -- The Red Cross estimates that, as of Tuesday, it has received $409.2 million in gifts and pledges for the hurricane relief effort, with approximately $209 million given online to date.

• To donate -- Call 1 (800) HELP NOW [1 [phone]] or 1 [phone], for Spanish speakers; make a secure online donation at www.redcross.org; or view additional Red Cross donation tips.

• To volunteer -- Contact your local Red Cross chapter to learn about volunteering. Well-meaning individuals are urged not to report directly to the affected areas.

• To learn more -- To learn more about the coordination of efforts among the many organizations and agencies helping hurricane survivors and for additional resources, visit www.usafreedomcorps.gov.

[American Red Cross news release]