Red Cross Helps at Home and Abroad

One year ago today, a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, killing more than 200,000 people and leaving 1 million homeless.

Despite the economic catastrophe that was also taking place, local residents, organizations, schools, places of worship, businesses and corporations donated $792,000 for Haiti relief efforts, according to the Red Cross of the Greater LehighValley.

“Donations to the local Red Cross chapter declined (in the last two fiscal years) due to the economy,” said Sandra Gaspar, director of development and community affairs at the Red Cross. “However, our local community was extremely concerned, compassionate and generous in support of the people affected by the Haiti earthquake in the middle of the economic downturn.”

This is how that money was spent:

“Throughout our response, the Red Cross has sought to make spending decisions with two criteria in mind: what’s best for the people of Haiti and whether we are following the intent of our donors who contributed to Haiti,” said Janice Osborne, director of marketing and communications at the local Red Cross chapter.

In the first year, most donations went to emergency relief, said Osborne, which included food, water, emergency shelter, health services, disaster preparedness, cholera prevention and housing.

More than a million people needed to be fed at the height of the earthquake response, and hundreds of thousands needed clean, drinkable water to help prevent further spread of diseases such as cholera, an infection of the small intestine that is caused by eating contaminated food and water.

Initially, about 860,000 people were provided tents and tarps to protect them from the blazing sun and drenching rains, according to Osborne. Looking ahead, the Red Cross is spending $48 million with partners like Habitat for Humanity to build semi-permanent--and ultimately permanent--homes in Port-au-Prince and surrounding communities.

Additionally, funding was provided to a United Nations vaccination campaign that inoculated nearly 1 million Haitian men, women and children against deadly diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus and measles.

“The Red Cross also provided funding to keep the doors open for two critical hospitals in Port-au-Prince and built a prosthetics clinic for people who lost limbs in the earthquake,” added Osborne.

Typically, however, donations to the local chapter of the Red Cross are used right here. Between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010, the local Red Cross responded to 95 disasters and helped 542 individuals, including 184 families.

In Northampton County alone, Red Cross volunteers responded to 43 disasters and helped 202 individuals in that time frame. On average, the Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley responds to a fire every three days in Northampton, Lehigh and Carbon counties.

When Red Cross volunteers arrive on a disaster scene, they perform a damage assessment to determine what basic necessities will be needed. These necessities range from clothing to shoes to prescription medications to lodging.

“The idea of the Red Cross is to give you the basic services and resources you need to move forward,” explained Osborne.

Comfort kits for adults and children are always provided. These kits include a washcloth, a razor and shaving gel, a comb, tissues, soap, shampoo, a toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant and body lotion.

Kids get the same, minus the razor and plus a coloring book and crayons.

“It’s the little things you don’t think about until the next morning,” said Osborne.

The Red Cross does not accept clothing or shoe donations. Instead, disaster victims are given a card that acts much like a debit card that they use to buy their own clothes.

“It allows them to feel more in control and allows them to purchase what they need,” said Osborne. “But it’s not going to replace their entire wardrobe.”

Each day after the disaster, the Red Cross follows up with those who are displaced.

“We make sure they have their next steps covered. Did they call their insurance company? Do they need help getting rental assistance? Do they have a place to stay?” explained Osborne.

In addition, counseling is provided by licensed mental health professionals who are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For a family of five, including two adults and three children, assistance costs on average approximately $1,340, Osborne said. This amount includes the cost of meals, clothing, shoes, winter garments and three days of lodging.

During the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley received a total of $2,233,180 in revenue. Of that, 40 percent was from public support.

To learn more about the Red Cross and Haiti, go to www.redcross.org/haiti.