Local Red Cross needs funds for disaster aid and holiday meals
When you hear the words “Red Cross,” are blood drives the first thing that comes to mind? Or maybe response to major disasters, such as hurricanes or floods?
If so, you’re only a tiny bit right. And until I joined their board of directors, I was only a tiny bit right too.
Yes, the American Red Cross, or more accurately for this area, the American Red Cross Eastern South Carolina Chapter, does respond to big disasters, such as the historic floods that struck here this fall. But consider this: every house fire is every bit as much a disaster to that family as the floods or a hurricane are to a region.
Our region has lots of fires. Even as local Red Cross volunteers arrived in Conway and Socastee and Kingstree to help the recent flood victims, others cared for 22 Horry County home fire victims. And that care amounts to so much more than hot coffee and blankets for victims and firefighters. They help them with safe shelter, access to health services and prescription refills and mental health support. After those immediate needs are met, counselors guide them through steps to put their lives back on track, a process that can sometimes take months.
The cost of all this care and comfort comes to an average of $1,275 per family. The chapter has launched its annual Heroes Campaign and this year it is encouraging companies and individuals to be heroes by “adopting” a family. If that’s too much for your budget, any donation will help. If you make it before the end of the year, it can also help with your tax deductions.
If you live in Horry or Georgetown counties, you may know the local chapter by its annual Christmas Day dinners provided to residents across the area at several locations and even some home deliveries. The chapter owes a huge debt of gratitude to Bi-Lo, which has been the Presenting Sponsor for more than five years. This year, the chapter had expanded the dinner program to serve more than 7,000 meals, but because of a $10,000 shortfall in donations, now needs to generate an additional $20,000 to cover the costs of an event that has come to define the spirit of generosity and fellowship of Christmas in our area.
I urge you to help the area chapter continue to help all of us, with the Christmas meals and with its many other programs. To help, go to: www.redcross.org/local/sc/locations/eastern-sc. Or send tax-deductible donations to: American Red Cross; Eastern South Carolina Chapter; 3531 Pampas Drive; Myrtle Beach SC 29577. Mark the donation for “disaster relief,” to make sure it can be used where it can help the most. But rest assured, it will be used to help our region.
The writer is a board member of the Eastern S.C. Chapter, American Red Cross, and lives in Conway.
This story was originally published December 21, 2015 at 9:14 AM with the headline "Local Red Cross needs funds for disaster aid and holiday meals."