SOUTH CAROLINA, April 6, 2023 – Twenty-five disaster-trained volunteers, and three emergency response vehicles from the American Red Cross of South Carolina have deployed to support disaster relief operations across 14 states in the South, Midwest, and California.

South & Midwest Storms and Tornadoes As the immediate threat of severe weather eases for the South and Midwest, more than 1,000 American Red Cross disaster workers are on the ground, providing comfort and support to people in need.

Preliminary reports indicate more than 2,100 homes across multiple states were destroyed or received major damage. Red Cross volunteers are helping assess the residential damage in affected communities. Working with partners, we have provided more than 1,500 overnight stays in 38 shelters; more than 107,200 meals and have served more than 7,000 households with relief supplies in the affected communities.

“Starting over is really hard. I know what it’s like to go through something devasting, so I wanted to help,” said Deborah Smith, a Red Cross Volunteer from Spartanburg, as she’s about to head out on her deployment to Mississippi.

As a child, Smith’s family experienced a fire that totally devastated their home and destroyed all their possessions. Years later, she survived Hurricane Hugo.

“I’ll be supervising a shelter, making sure everybody’s comfortable,” said Smith of her responsibilities when she lands in Mississippi. “If you’re wanting to help, the Red Cross has a way. There are many different positions, there’s a skill, there’s a task that’s needed. Quite frankly, we can find a role that fits you.”

California Storms and Flooding After three months of atmospheric rivers that displaced tens of thousands of people, the storms have finally subsided in California, but the long road to recovery is just beginning. The severe weather caused levees to fail, rivers to overflow and communities to flood. The fear now is that the record-setting snowpack left behind in the mountains may cause more dangerous flooding as the snow melts.

Hundreds of Red Crossers from all over the country have been helping in California since late last year, providing shelter, food, and other relief services to those affected by this severe weather.

“Our shelters are still full. There was a levee that breached; people are still mucking out their homes,” said Clyde Roberts, a Red Cross volunteer from Columbia currently deployed to California. “A lot of people, they’ve had to take out their carpet, appliances, all that stuff, so recovery is going to take some time for these people”

Roberts is a 19-year Red Crosser who’s long-lost track of how many deployments he’s completed over the years.

“I found my niche in life. Even my wife got bitten by the bug doing spiritual care,” said Roberts. “If you care about people and you care about alleviating their suffering, please give us a shot. Whether it’s a single-family house fire or a natural disaster like this one, we need you to help people get their lives back.”

The American Red Cross of South Carolina stands ready to send additional disaster workers as requested.

YOU CAN HELP You can make a difference in the lives of people affected by tornadoes, storms, flooding and countless other crises by donating to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Visit redcross.org call 1-800-RED CROSS. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from these disasters. This includes providing food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER
Every day, the American Red Cross sees the heartbreak of people trying to cope with more intense storms, heavier rainfall, higher temperatures, stronger hurricanes, and more devastating wildfires. As more people rely on the Red Cross for help, the need for compassionate volunteers has never been greater. This spring, consider volunteering with the American Red Cross in one of our urgently needed volunteer opportunities. Learn more at redcross.org/volunteer