AMERICAN RED CROSS REACHES OUT TO RURAL NORTH DAKOTA

MINOT, North Dakota, June 28, 2011 – The American Red Cross presence continues to increase in the Minot area providing food, shelter and emotional support to those affected by the flooding.

Since the event began in Minot, the American Red Cross has provided 2,178 overnight stays in the shelters, served 14,174 meals and 66,246 snacks. They have provided emotional health support to 738 people and health services support to 638 people. People who are not staying in the shelter are coming to the shelter for meals, emotional support, and basic health needs like blood pressure and blood sugar monitoring.

To help assess what additional assistance is needed, Red Cross representatives met on Monday with emergency managers in Ward County, as well Bottineau, McLean, and McHenry counties. While the area of greatest need is Ward County, the American Red Cross is committed to helping every county that experiences flooding this spring and summer, said Mid-Dakota Chapter Executive Director Allan McGeough. County Emergency managers have been provided information on services provided by the American Red Cross and contact information.

“We are one American Red Cross across the United States. Local volunteers partner with volunteers from across the country to serve our community,” McGeough said. “Our services will continue to expand in the days ahead.”

Safe and Well Website Registration: All flood evacuees are encouraged to register with Safe and Well, the American Red Cross website that enables people within a disaster area to let their friends and loved ones outside of the affected region know of their well-being. By logging onto the Red Cross public website, www.redcross.org/safeandwell, a person affected by disaster may post messages indicating that they are safe and well at a shelter, hotel, or at home, and that they will contact their friends and family as soon as possible. For those without access to the internet, call 1-800-REDCROSS and someone will help you register.

About the American Red Cross:

Help people affected by disasters like flooding in North Dakota by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for disasters and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of all disasters. Call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.