Red Cross Responding to Hurricane Ida, California Wildfires; Hundreds of volunteers providing shelter, meals, and comfort

MIAMI, Fla. (September 1, 2021) — Hundreds of trained American Red Cross disaster workers are helping 24-7 in California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to support people impacted by the devastating wildfires across the state of California and the massive destruction left behind by Hurricane Ida.

“August has been an incredibly busy month for the Red Cross with hundreds of volunteers responding to help people whose lives have been upended by hurricanes, wildfires, and other disasters,” said Josett Valdez, Regional CEO for the South Florida Red Cross. “Here in South Florida, we understand the devastating impact hurricanes can have on communities and as the recovery process begins from Hurricane Ida, people will need your help. Please consider making a donation to help people affected by disasters or becoming a Red Cross volunteer today.”

The Red Cross has been helping in California since June as relentless fires continue to spread. More than 58,000 Californians are under evacuation orders and compared to last year, wildfires this year have already out paced what we experienced in 2020 – over 860,000 more acres of land have burned than at this same time last year. Hundreds of Red Cross trained disaster workers are focused on providing food, shelter, relief supplies, and comfort to people in need.

Along the Gulf Coast, hundreds more trained Red Cross disaster workers are helping people impacted by the devastation left behind by Hurricane Ida — one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the U.S. Homes and businesses are destroyed, communities remain flooded, heavy debris is blocking roads, and more than a million people are without power. The Red Cross has teams of volunteers circulating through accessible areas to assess the damage and provide meals, water, and snacks. Thousands of people are taking refuge in emergency lodgings, including shelters.

The Red Cross is also still helping to provide food, shelter, and support for people in Tennessee after a recent flash flood caused widespread damage across the middle of the state.

From South Florida, more than 40 volunteers have been deployed to support all of these disaster relief operations.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Help people affected by disasters like wildfires, storms, and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to, and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org/donate, call 800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

If you have the time, you can make a significant impact as a Red Cross volunteer. Review our most urgently needed volunteer positions here: redcross.org/volunteertoday.