| 2 Greater Lehigh Valley Red Cross Disaster Workers Are Texas-Bound | |
McCoy, care manager at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital, joined the local Red Cross as a disaster mental health volunteer in 2006. In Texas, she will provide emotional care and support to the thousands affected by Hurricane Ike. This is her first national assignment.
Osborne, employed as director of communications and marketing at the local Red Cross, will assist Texas Red Cross chapters with media and public relations. She has served on numerous national disaster assignments including: Hurricane Dean, Pittsburgh floods, Pennsylvania floods, Hurricane Ivan, Hurricane Katrina, and the Northeast Arizona Wildfires.
More than 4,500 Red Cross disasters workers are currently on the ground assisting with relief efforts related to hurricanes Ike and Gustav. Red Cross is focusing on providing shelter, food and distribution of needed items.
The Red Cross has launched a $100 million fund-raising campaign nationwide to help cover the costs associated with the hurricanes of 2008. Locally, the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley is charged with raising $318,000 by year's end to help meet the national campaign. The state's goal is $5.6 million.
The Disaster Relief Fund allows the Red Cross to provide emergency assistance to help victims of disasters meet their immediate needs for food, shelter, counseling and other critical services. The fund gives people the chance to help anywhere in the nation whenever and wherever disaster strikes.
How To Make a Contribution:
Phone: Call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish).
Internet: Visit www.redcrosslv.org or www.redcross.org to make a secure online donation.
Check: Make checks payable to the American Red Cross and indicate "Disaster Relief Fund" on the memo line. Mail to: American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013 or American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, 2200 Avenue A, Bethlehem, PA 18017.
Cell Phone: You can also use your cell phone to donate $5 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by text messaging the keyword "GIVE" to "2HELP" (24357). You can send multiple donations depending on your carrier. Contributions will appear on monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance. All applicable text rates apply.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 690,000
residents of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross
provided health and safety education training; Lifeline, a personal response
service for seniors; and emergency relief to more than 23,000 Greater Lehigh
Valley residents. For more information about the American Red Cross of the
Greater Lehigh Valley or volunteer opportunities, call (610) 865-4400 or visit
www.redcrosslv.org.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.