Month: December 2014

2014 Disaster Cycle Services Highlights

By Megan Mrozek, Regional Disaster Officer, American Red Cross Minnesota Region

During 2014, a year when disasters were not major headlines in Minnesota, our region’s Disaster Cycle Services team was hard at work. The team responded to 716 disasters and delivered humanitarian aid to more than 1,104 families, helped prepare 22,180 people for emergencies, and trained to make sure we’re ready to respond to disasters big and small here in Minnesota and, when needed, across the nation. Highlights of our year include:

  • January:
    • Cedar-Riverside Apartment Fire: Response teams worked with people in the affected community with recovery immediately after the fire and preparedness throughout year.NDSI_2
    • Round-Tables: We started monthly response and recovery round-tables with disaster leaders across the state, sharing best practices and lessons learned from responses throughout the region.
    • DAT Captain Training: We established an initiative to refine and develop the role of Disaster Action Team (DAT) captains, culminating in new training simulation for disaster response captains in December.
  • March:
    • Casework for DATs: We implemented a training course that enables Disaster Action Team members to help clients begin their recovery immediately after a disaster.
  • April:
    • Leadership Summit: Around 100 disaster leaders came together for two days of training, team building, and direction-setting for the year to come.
    • Board Preparedness Challenge: 100% of our regional board members took an action to become more prepared for emergencies.
    • CAS 2.0: We rolled out the new CAS 2.0 database for recovery information, as well as new forms and procedures for response and recovery.
  • May:
    • DSC_3633_cropLatino Community Partnership and Leadership Summit: We held our first partnership and leadership summit with Latino community leaders and advocates in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area.
    • Under One Roof: Co-sponsored the “Under One Roof” sheltering conference that included 250 participants from 5 states and Canada. Fifty-four Red Crossers attended. Our conference mission was to establish new relationships, to strengthen sustainable partnerships, and to learn about the latest developments, trends, and best practices related to sheltering and emergency preparedness.
  • June and July:
    • Flooding Response: On the US-Canadian border, 66 Red Cross volunteers served 1058 meals and 27,116 snacks; distributed 85 clean up kits; and provided 23 health services contacts to flood affected communities in 13 counties. In addition, disaster relief workers responded to flooding relief efforts in the Twin Cities metro area and southwest Minnesota.
  • August:
    • National Night Out: On this night, more than 1600 people were reached with preparedness messages from their neighbors.DSC_4013
    • Vigilant Vortex: At least 50 Red Cross workers took part in a 5-day, statewide exercise with the Minnesota National Guard and more than 30 other agencies practicing response to an epic string of devastating tornado touchdowns.
    • Minnesota State Fair: This year at the fair, 2,735 people completed disaster preparedness plans. Also, 12,876 people were reached through preparedness planning and blood pressure screening.
  • October:
    • North Star Disaster Training Institute: Our signature, annual disaster training program included 39 courses offered to 160 attendees during a 4-day period.
    • Shelters Mobilized: Disaster relief teams mobilized two shelters for people displaced by disaster in the Twin Cities and Marshall, MN.
  • November:
    • Statewide Meet-Up: For the first time, our former southern and northern region teams came together as the new combined Minnesota Region team.

IMG_0580I am incredibly thankful for the tireless effort from our Disaster Cycle Services volunteers and employees. Day and night, 365 days-a-year, they bring compassion, flexibility, and dedication to the important work of helping others during great times of need and making our communities more resilient before, during, and after emergencies. Here’s to 2015!

To learn more about getting involved with the Red Cross, click here.

Six thousand holiday cards, and counting, for our military heroes

Photo credit: Dan Williams/American Red Cross
Photo credit: Dan Williams/American Red Cross

At the American Red Cross serving Northern Minnesota, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program will distribute more than 6,000 cards to service members and veterans. As of this writing, cards will be going to all of the following groups:

  • 148th Fighter Wing
  • 114th Transportation Company
  • Silver Bay Veterans Home
  • Duluth Coast Guard Station
  • 94th Cavalry
  • 950th Transportation Engineers
  • 1st Combined Arms Battalion – Brainerd
  • VFW of Cook
  • Superior VA Clinic
  • MAC-V Duluth

The cards are appreciated by the units and their military members.  The 950th Transportation Engineers, who are based in Superior, WI, deployed this fall to Afghanistan. We mailed then 100 bundles of cards in Texas where they will have an early Christmas before deploying overseas in late December. Upon hearing the cards had shipped, their family readiness leader sent us this message: “This is wonderful! The soldiers will love them! Thank you so much for your support!”

Photo credit: Dan Williams/American Red Cross
Photo credit: Dan Williams/American Red Cross

Making cards can be extremely special.  The United Way of Greater Duluth did a card signing event at their family day event the week before Thanksgiving and sent in some incredible cards, as well as this message: “Thanks for the opportunity to spread holiday cheer to our Armed Forces and Veterans! What a wonderful program!” Some businesses really came through as well, including awesome staff from DeCare Dental in Gilbert, who made over 1,000 cards for the program.  Another outstanding supporter was Bent Paddle Brewery in Duluth, which contributed financially by paying for cards to be made as well as hosting card signing events at the brewery.

None of this would be possible without the commitment of volunteers and the generous spirit of people of all ages, from every corner of Northern Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin, who opened their hearts to send holiday greetings to our military heroes.

Story and photos by Dan Williams, Executive Director of the American Red Cross serving Northern Minnesota. To learn more getting involved with Red Cross, click here.

Give Something That Means Something

Emergencies can cause people to leave their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs. That’s why a Red Cross disaster relief response always begins with a safe place to sleep, hot food and a hug.

Photo credit: Lynette Nyman/American Red Cross
Photo credit: Lynette Nyman/American Red Cross

This holiday season, as you think of giving holiday gifts to your friends and loved ones, you can give something that means something.

Choose a symbolic gift from the Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog for someone on your list, and your tax-deductible donation will support a Red Cross program. For example, you can:

  • Provide 10 warm, cozy blankets to protect disaster survivors from the cold and help them sleep comfortably in our shelters with your gift of $50
  • Deliver urgent messages for 2 military families to help ensure they get the support they need to reach a loved one when a family emergency occurs with your gift of $160
  • Provide 500 Measles vaccinations, enough for the children of an entire village, and prevent needless deaths with a vaccination that offers a lifetime of protection with your gift of $500
  • Help where it’s needed most, for any amount

There is so much you can do. You can help the nearly 70,000 people who turn to the Red Cross every year for help during a disaster. You can help the members of the military, veterans and civilians who receive about 400,000 Red Cross services every year. You can help the patients in hospitals and transfusion centers across the country who depend on Red Cross blood donors to help them regain their health.

Every eight minutes, the American Red Cross brings help and hope to someone in need. We could not do it without you. so this holiday season, please give something that means something.

This Holiday Give the Gift of Preparedness

fireescape_imageAs Red Crossers, we know disasters can strike at any moment and being prepared before they happen is vital for reducing their impact. We also know the most effective way to engage people with disaster preparedness is for them to hear the message from someone they know.

So, this holiday season we ask you to take the steps below and show your loved ones that you care by helping them prepare for emergencies.

  1. Take 30 minutes to talk through your family disaster plan with household members and that everyone has the same understanding of what to do if there is a disaster.
  2. Once your plan is complete, share with others outside your household the importance of being Red Cross Ready and having a family disaster plan, a disaster kit and downloading the free Red Cross First Aid App to their mobile device. You can use this list of disaster preparedness talking points to get the conversations started.
  3. Keep track of the people you talk with here. There will be a prize for the person who has the most conversations about disaster preparedness between now and January 2!

As a friend, neighbor, community member and Red Crosser, this is a great chance to join together and educate your neighbors, friends and family members about a topic that is very important. For additional preparedness materials and support, contact Jenn Hamrick at 612-604-3290 or jenn.hamrick@redcross.org.

Convert Clunkers into Compassion and Care

VDP Web Banner 514x260The American Red Cross recently launched a vehicle donation program that converts unneeded vehicles into Red Cross donations to help those in need.

“People may think their old vehicle is worthless but the donation could be priceless to someone in need of Red Cross services,” says Phil Hansen, CEO of the American Red Cross Minnesota Region. “Your vehicle has value. Turn it into compassion and care.”

The Vehicle Donation Program offers an easy donation process with convenient, free pick-up and towing, and a tax-deductible way to dispose of unwanted vehicles.

Our partners at Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) will pick up your vehicle at a time that’s convenient for you, and at no cost to you. IAA will provide a tax receipt on behalf of the Red Cross and sell the vehicle, sending the proceeds to the Red Cross.

When you donate a vehicle it has the same impact as donating cash—it can help rebuild lives. For example, a car worth $1,000 at auction provides food and shelter to five families for one day in a shelter, including everything they need to be safe and secure after losing everything in an apartment fire.

In Minnesota, financial donations help the Red Cross shelter, feed and provide emotional support to victims of more than 600 disasters each year; supply more than 70 percent of local blood need; teach lifesaving skills to thousands; fund international humanitarian aid; and support American military members and their families during emergencies.

The vehicle donation program accepts cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs, boats, snowmobiles, jet skis, tractors, farm equipment and other types of vehicles, in almost any condition—even salvaged. And, the process is quick with an average turnaround time of less than 30 days.

To donate a vehicle, visit the Red Cross online at redcross.org/cardonation or call 1-855-927-2227 to make arrangements. Contact your tax professional for details about tax deductions for vehicle donations.