Red Cross Brings Comfort To Midwest

100 city blocks of an Iowan town submerged by floodwaters. A Boy Scout camping trip that ended in tragedy when a tornado struck. Crushing mudslides caused by flooding in Wisconsin. Last month's onslaught of tornadoes, storms and floods throughout the Central United States have destroyed several communities, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes and leave their entire life behind.

Since these disasters hit, more than 5,000 Red Cross workers -- 89 percent of whom are volunteers -- have assisted families and individuals with the tools they need to begin their recovery; everything from shovels and gloves to a hot meal and a kind word. To date, these response teams have opened 125 shelters, accommodated nearly 13,000 overnight stays and served more then 800,000 meals and snacks. The Oregon Trail Chapter alone has already deployed 16 volunteers to lend a hand.

Read on and get to know some of these people those who are giving their time to the Red Cross as volunteers and those who are able to begin rebuilding their lives because of the generous financial support provided by the American public.

Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin -- Kevin Becker uses his boat to deliver Red Cross meals to people trapped at remote sites. More...

Marshalltown, Iowa -- After a tornado tore their home apart Amy and Irvin Haan and their children ate three meals a day at the Red Cross kitchen. More...   

Summer Program Stays Safe With Help From Red Cross

For most kids, summer school is a fate worse than death. But for students attending the Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI) six-week summer program, it's an opportunity to visit museums and art exhibits, attend music camp, complete internships and, for the first time ever, learn valuable skills that can help save a life.

The Oregon Trail Chapter and SEI created this unique partnership to give more than 700 students an introduction to emergency preparedness and prevention. "We developed the curriculum by looking at all the youth courses we teach -- from first aid to water safety -- and pulling information from each one," said Dave Brooke, Health and Safety Program Manager. "That way, each course includes specialized content that corresponds with the grade level of the students."

On Wednesdays and Thursdays in July, Red Cross instructors will teach four classes each day, ranging from 35 to 45 minutes long. Each class will have around 25 students. "The courses include a pre-test, post-test and homework so we can gauge the effectiveness of the content," Brooke said. "Ideally, we'd like to go back in six months and test the kids to see if they've retained the information."  

Social Media Connects Country During Disasters

From Facebook to Flickr, social media is most often described as youthful, creative and fun. Here at the American Red Cross, we're trying to add some new word associations: preparedness and disaster response.

When disaster strikes, we don't just rely on newspapers or television to let the public know what we're doing. For the Central U.S. floods and tornadoes, an online newsroom keeps visitors informed with current updates, breaking news and photos and video from the field. A Facebook cause can be shared with friends to raise awareness and funds for disaster relief. All these efforts are paying off, with the Red Cross gaining national recognition as a non-profit social media pioneer.

The Oregon Trail Chapter plays a big role in this changing world -- sending a staff member to help with national Red Cross efforts, maintaining our own chapter blog, posting YouTube videos and creating Flickr photo pools.

To create a culture of preparedness, we need you to be part of the conversation. Join in today!