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| AMERICAN RED CROSS RELEASES $1,000,000 IN AID TO HAITI AFTER EARTHQUAKE
For Immediate Release Contact:
Beth Jusino, American Red Cross Serving King & Kitsap
Counties American Red Cross releases $1,000,000 in aid to help communities affected by earthquake in Haiti Wednesday, January 13, 2010 — The American Red Cross has pledged an initial $1,000,000 to assist communities impacted by Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti, and is prepared to take further action as local responders assess the situation. “Initial reports indicate widespread damage in Port au Prince, with continuing aftershocks,” says Tracy Reines, director of international disaster response for the American Red Cross. “As with most earthquakes, we expect to see immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support.” The American Red Cross has made available all of the relief supplies from its warehouse in Panama which would provide for basic needs for approximately 5,000 families. In addition, it is deploying a disaster management specialist to Haiti, and has additional disaster specialists on standby if needed. The American Red Cross has an extensive partnership with the Haitian Red Cross, which is expected to lead the Red Cross response to the earthquake. The American Red Cross has staff on the ground in Haiti who provide ongoing HIV/AIDS prevention and disaster preparedness programs. At this time, all the three American Red Cross staff in Haiti have all been reported safe. The Haitian Red Cross was founded in 1932 and is one of the primary organizations in the country responding to disasters. Although earthquakes are less common, Haiti is frequently impacted by hurricanes including those in 2008, and the Haiti Red Cross has developed experience in disaster response due those disasters. For inquiries about relatives living and who have citizenship in Haiti, please be patient and call repeatedly until the lines clear or contact other family members who live nearby. Telephone, Internet and other communication lines are often disrupted in times of disaster. People trying to locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in Haiti should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225. How to Help You can text "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti. The donation will be charged to your cellphone bill. You can help the victims of countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. Donations to the International Response Fund can be sent to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org. For more information or to contact your local Red Cross chapter in Washington State, please visit www.redcrosswashington.org.
Local Red Cross Chapters King County Kitsap County Snohomish County Pierce County Thurston-Mason Counties Lewis County Grays Harbor County
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