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05.24.2010 Red Cross shelters 14 after Sunday’s apartment fire
Fourteen people displaced from Sunday’s fire at the Little Rock Apartments stayed overnight in a shelter provided by the Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross. The Red Cross closed the Philip O’Berry Academy shelter at 1:30 p.m. today (Monday). The agency continues to provide assistance for food, shelter and clothing to the families who stayed at the shelter as well as other families displaced by the fire.
Over the course of the weekend, volunteers from the local Red Cross responded to six fires, providing assistance for up to 22 families. Work with each of these families continues on a case-by-case basis.
On average, the Red Cross will spend up to $1,500 per family, depending on the level of assistance that is needed.
Over the past few years, the Red Cross has averaged responding to 13 fires during the month of May.
“So, six fires in one weekend is very unusual – no matter what time of year it is,” said Rick Schou, director of Emergency Services for the Greater Carolinas Chapter.
“We are already running on a very tight budget for the year, so providing the assistance to these families is going to further stretch those resources. And we’re going to continue to provide that assistance, because without it, many of these families would be homeless.”
Because the Red Cross is not a government agency, the organization relies strictly on the donations from the community to provide help to these families.
If you want to help:
Make a donation by clicking here or calling 704.347.8352.
About the American Red Cross
Help people affected by disasters like these fires 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 704.347.8352 or visit http://www.redcrosshelps.org to make a contribution.
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