Hundreds in Valley Offer Help for Victims of Terrorist Attacks
News Release: September 11, 2001
Contact: Janice Osborne, Manager-Media & Community Affairs
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262
Within hours of the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., this morning (9/11), the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross received hundreds of calls from area residents asking how they can help.
The Red Cross is advising Lehigh Valley residents they can help in one of three ways:
1) By making a financial contribution to the Disaster Relief Fund of the American Red Cross. Payment may be made by check payable to the Lehigh Valley Chapter, American Red Cross, 2200 Avenue A, Bethlehem, PA 18017. On the memo line, write: Disaster Relief Fund. You may also call 1-800-HELP NOW or donate online at www.redcrosslv.org.
2) By donating blood through the Miller Memorial Blood Center. As national blood supplies move toward the areas affected by these disasters, the need for blood is likely to become especially high over the coming weeks. Call the center at (610) 691-5850. Blood donors are encouraged to make their donations in the weeks ahead.
3) Donate bulk medical and surgical supplies. The Red Cross accepts sizable, bulk donations. The Red Cross, however, is not able to accept small, individual donations or collections of items which many times must be cleaned, sorted and repackaged, impeding rescue operations.
Two Lehigh Valley Red Cross volunteers were called to assist at this morning's airline crash outside Pittsburgh. Lisa Taylor, a social worker at Lehigh Valley Hospital, and John Weaver, of the Northampton County Mental Health/Mental Retardation office, are part of the American Red Cross Aviation Incident Response Team. Both will be providing mental health support for victims, family members and rescue workers. Taylor and Weaver will report to the Keystone Chapter of the Red Cross in Johnston, Pa., the chapter closest to the plane crash.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people.
The Lehigh Valley Chapter Red Cross serves more than 620,000 residents in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training and emergency relief services to more than 15,500 Lehigh Valley residents.
For more information about the Lehigh Valley Chapter Red Cross, visit www.redcrosslv.org.
