American Red Cross and Erie Insurance Partnership Ensures 'Comfort Care' for Local Disaster Relief Clients
News Release: March 17, 2003
Contact: Janice Osborne, Manager-Media & Community Affairs
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262
The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley will receive 1,000 comfort kits for emergency distribution to local families, thanks to the Erie Insurance/American Red Cross Volunteer Network, “Serving Together.”
On Tuesday, March 18, more than 60 employees and agents at the Allentown/Bethlehem Branch of the Erie Insurance Group will volunteer during lunchtime to assemble the bags of emergency supplies at their office located at 2200 W. Broad Street, Bethlehem. The kits include basic necessities like soap, shampoo and toothpaste. ERIE has donated the supplies for the kits.
“We are deeply grateful to the dedication of the Erie Insurance volunteers and commitment of ERIE management in providing these comfort kits for disaster victims,” said John R. Hughes, executive director of the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley. “ERIE has been a wonderful partner with the Red Cross here in the Greater Lehigh Valley – this is just another example of their good stewardship.”
Locally and regionally, ERIE is donating nearly 10,000 comfort kits to the Red Cross for emergency distribution to the Red Cross chapters closest to the company’s 23 field offices in 11 states and the District of Columbia. The project involves nearly 500 employees and agents companywide.
According to Jeffrey A. Ludrof, Erie Insurance president and CEO, the “Serving Together” Volunteer Network was formed in October 2000 because its company’s mission of helping people during times of need closely resembles the mission of the American Red Cross – keeping people safe and caring for those impacted by personal or major disasters.
The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 660,000 residents in Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training and emergency relief services to more than 20,000 Greater Lehigh Valley residents.
