FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 17, 2010
Bill Harrison
804-780-2256
804-396-0162 (cell)
RICHMOND RED CROSS HAITI CALL CENTER
BUSY OVER WEEKEND
About 500 Calls on Saturday, Still Coming In Today
Due to the community’s response to the earthquake in Haiti, the American Red Cross, Greater Richmond Chapter, is remaining open over the three-day holiday weekend. That strategy proved warranted as Saturday the Chapter’s Haitian Call Center received about 500 calls.
“From the very beginning a few days ago our phones have been ringing nonstop,” stated Chapter CEO, Reggie Gordon. “Whenever there is a disaster, the community turns to the Red Cross and that expectation carries grave responsibilities that we take very seriously. Our paid staff and cadre of volunteers stepped up to the plate as they always do. That’s what we do. That is why we are here in the first place.”
Among the people who visited the offices yesterday was a native of Haiti in hopes of finding a way to help. She and Red Cross officials are meeting next week to strategize more ways of reaching local Haitian people. “That has been one of our major concerns, reaching Haitian people living in Greater Richmond to make sure they know the help Red Cross can provide such as searching for loved ones,” said Gordon.
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American Red Cross Help Continues:
American Red Cross President and CEO, Gail McGovern, will travel to Port-au-Prince on Monday to meet with Red Cross leadership from around the world and to visit service delivery sites.
There are thousands of Red Cross workers, representing 30 countries on the ground assisting with relief efforts.
Seven truckloads of materials that were flown through the Dominican Republic will arrive in Port-au-Prince today.
A cargo plane, in partnership with FedEx, will arrive in the region on Monday carrying Red Cross relief items that will help 20,000 families. Items include blankets, mosquito nets and hygiene items.
As of January 16, more than 19,300 people have registered on the ICRC’s web site in an effort to locate missing loved ones. Over 1,400 people have also used the site to say they are safe.
Three planes, one carrying a field hospital left Friday. The other two carried tarps, blankets, hygiene items, buckets and other emergency supplies.
As of January 16, the American Red Cross has raised over $87 Million for the relief effort. The organization knows it will spend much more than that to help the people of Haiti.
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