Hawaii Red Cross Continues to Send Volunteers to Help Sandy Victims

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Hawaii Red Cross Continues to Send Volunteers to Help Sandy Victims
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Hawaii Red Cross Continues to Send Volunteers to Help Sandy Victims

Returning Volunteers Available for Interviews

Honolulu, HI (December 5, 2012) – The Hawaii State Chapter of the American Red Cross continues to send local volunteers to help Sandy victims on the East Coast. As of today, 41 volunteers from Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, and the Big Island have been deployed. Some have returned and a few are returning back for a second deployment.

Coralie Matayoshi, Chief Executive Officer for the Hawaii State Chapter, said, “We will continue to send out volunteers as they are needed. Our volunteers have shown selfless dedication, missing holidays with their families, to help others in need. They have had great experiences and learned valuable lessons to bring back so that we are better prepared in Hawaii when a major disaster strikes here.”
Hawaii volunteers who have returned from their deployments have heartwarming stories to tell and are available for interviews.

The American Red Cross issued a progress report this week on its efforts over the past month to provide food, water, shelter, relief supplies, healthcare and other assistance to people affected by Superstorm Sandy.

“During this first month, the Red Cross has provided emergency relief to many people affected by Superstorm Sandy. But there is still much work to be done, and we will continue to provide help and hope for weeks and months to come,” said Coralie Matayoshi, CEO of the Hawaii Red Cross. “This is our biggest U.S. disaster response in more than five years, and we are incredibly grateful for the generous support across the country that has enabled us to help the survivors of this storm.”

Hurricane Sandy was a major storm that impacted an area the size of Europe. The Red Cross mobilized more than 14,400 trained disaster workers to date – 90 percent of them volunteers - to help people affected by the storm. Today, nearly 3,000 workers are still on the job, providing food, water, shelter and relief supplies. The Red Cross has also deployed more than 300 of its emergency response vehicles and is also utilizing rental cars, trucks and other vehicles to help.

SHELTER, FOOD AND RELIEF ITEMS In the first month since Sandy hit, the Red Cross provided almost 79,000 shelter stays for Sandy, part of an overall shelter response that provided more than 153,000 shelter stays. The Red Cross has also:

· Provided more than 7.4 million meals and snacks through its partnership with the Southern Baptist Convention to people affected by Sandy in New York and New Jersey.

· Distributed more than 5.2 million relief items including cold weather items like coats and blankets and supplies to help people as they begin the massive clean-up of their neighborhoods.

· Provided more than 86,000 health services and mental health contacts for people who have been living in very tough conditions.

The Red Cross response dealt with the unusual cold weather hurricane. Sandy was followed by a nor’easter that dumped snow and brought frigid temperatures to people struggling without power, and the Red Cross supplies included more Red Cross blankets, gloves and hand-warmers.

LOOKING AHEAD The Red Cross has raised nearly $170 million to date for Sandy and estimates that it will spend $110 million on the emergency relief through the end of December. Any funds donated for Sandy beyond what is needed for emergency relief will be put to use serving the long-term needs of those affected by this disaster. The Red Cross is already working with communities to determine unmet needs and how they can be met—something which will continue into the recovery process.

The Red Cross is developing specific plans that will include a comprehensive needs assessment of the affected communities and individuals; plans that will identify resources available from both the Red Cross and other organizations. Recognizing that each community will have different needs, and different groups working to meet them, the role of the Red Cross will be determined by these local needs. What’s crucial is that there is community collaboration and cooperation to ensure that longer-term help reaches people who need it.

HOW TO HELP
To donate, visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. People can also use the “donate” feature on the free Red Cross Apps to support the Red Cross relief response. Contributions may also be sent to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013 or to the American Red Cross - Hawaii State Chapter, 4155 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, HI 96816.

About American Red Cross, Hawaii State Chapter

HOURS - Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

MISSION
The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. It accomplishes this mission through services that are consistent with its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross movement.

The Hawaii State Chapter responds continually to large and small disasters throughout the State of Hawaii. The Red Cross is the only volunteer organization charged, by federal Congressional Charter, with responding during disasters to provide for the immediate emergency needs of families and individuals. In addition, the Chapter prepares individuals and businesses to be more prepared for emergencies and to initiate appropriate action to ensure the health and safety of those around them and themselves.

The American Red Cross is not a government agency. We depend on the aloha spirit of giving from our community to help others in need.

STATEWIDE PRESENCE
The Hawaii State Chapter consists of the Chapter headquarters, four branch offices (East Hawaii, West Hawaii, Kauai and Maui) and four military service centers (Hickam Air Force Base, Schofield Barracks, Kaneohe Marine Corp Base and Tripler Army Medical Center).

HISTORY
Founded in 1881 by Clara Barton, the American Red Cross is one of the oldest human service organizations in the United States. In 1905, the U.S. Congress chartered the Red Cross to help relieve the suffering caused by disasters. Over the years, we have become part of the very fiber of the community and Americans have grown to expect and rely on our swift, professional assistance through a national volunteer corps of more than 1.44 million people. The American Red Cross is one of more than 145 member nations that comprise the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Currently, 967 chapters make up the American Red Cross.

Although 1917 is the official date that the first American Red Cross chapter was chartered in Hawaii, Red Cross work began as early as 1898, when some 300 women, including Princess Kaiulani, organized a Red Cross society to aid the sick and wounded soldiers stopping here on transports from the Philippines during the Spanish-American War.

Today, the Hawaii State Chapter is a leader in health and safety training. Red Cross disaster volunteers respond regularly to house and apartment fires, and are prepared for larger disasters like hurricanes, tsunamis, and floods.

Through its extensive use of trained volunteers, the American Red Cross has earned a reputation for being of one of the nation's most efficiently managed non-profit organizations, a distinction that has been recognized by publications such as Forbes, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Nonprofit Times and Money Magazine. The Hawaii State Chapter of the American Red Cross has over 4,000 volunteers - a volunteer-to-staff ratio of more than 10 to 1.

The Hawaii State Chapter of the American Red Cross is known for excellent stewardship of funds. We have always prided ourselves on providing services that do not duplicate the services of other non-profits organizations and proactively seeking ways to collaborate with other providers.

Sep 14, 1917: Queen Liliuokalani's secretary, Colonel Iaukea, presents a hand-sewn Red Cross flag to members of the local Chapter on the steps of Iolani Palace. This ceremony took place a few months after the Hawaii Chapter was officially chartered. At the Queen's suggestion, the flag flew over the palace and later hung in the Throne Room during World War I. Mrs. Henry Dawson accepts flag. Territorial Governor Lucius Pinkham is behind Iaukea.

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