USA: Facts at a glance - American Red Cross Response to Hurricane Katrina & Rita
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Estimated Cost
The American Red Cross estimates that Hurricane Katrina relief efforts will exceed $2 billion, meeting the urgent needs of Hurricane Katrina and Rita survivors in a number of areas - including food and shelter, emergency financial assistance and physical and mental health services.
( For more information, please read Hurricanes Katrina & Rita - Donor Dollars at Work)
Financial Assistance
Red Cross financial assistance is provided in a variety of ways, including client assistance cards, vouchers, checks and cash. The Red Cross estimates it will distribute financial assistance to approximately 1.2 million families (more than 3.7 million hurricane survivors).
Shelters/Temporary Housing
Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the Red Cross has provided hurricane survivors with nearly 3.42 million overnight stays in nearly 1,100 shelters across 27 states and the District of Columbia.
Relief Workers
More than 219,500 Red Cross disaster relief workers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have responded to their neighbors in need.
Feeding Operations
The Red Cross, in coordination with the Southern Baptist Convention, has served more than 27.4 million hot meals and 25.2 million snacks to hurricane survivors to date.
Reuniting Families
Persons looking for loved ones can go to the "Family Links Registry " to:
- Locate an Evacuee (who has reported his/her location)
- Report Your Location (as an evacuee)
Health & Preventative Care
Visit www.redcross.org or www.cdc.gov for information about health strategies and preventative measures for those in affected areas.
Mental & Health Services Contacts
To date, Red Cross has made more than 1,633,350 mental and health contacts related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Comfort & Clean Up Kits
The Red Cross has distributed more than 509,060 comfort and clean up kits to evacuees of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
How to Help
To Volunteer
Contact your local Red Cross chapter or visit Volunteer Match to become a Red Cross volunteer. Well-meaning individuals are urged not to report directly to the affected areas.
To Donate
Making a financial contribution is the best way to help, to donate:
- Call 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish)
- Make at secure, online donation at www.redcross.org
- Visit an Official Red Cross (Cash) Donation Site (retailer locations or online)
- Contact your local Red Cross chapter
- View additional Red Cross Donation Tips
Funds Received
The Red Cross has received approximately $1.64 billion in gifts and pledges to date for the hurricane relief.
The Red Cross has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for its effective use of donations. At least 91 cents of every dollar donated to the American Red Cross goes directly to assist disaster victims.
Additional Information & Resources can be found under Hurricane Season 2005 . To learn more about the coordination of efforts among the many organizations and agencies helping hurricane survivors and for additional resources, visit www.usafreedomcorps.gov .
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is provided at no cost, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. The Red Cross also supplies nearly half of the nation's lifesaving blood. This, too, is made possible by generous voluntary donations. To help the victims of disaster, you may make a secure online credit card donation or call 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Or you may send your donation to your local Red Cross or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. To donate blood, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543), or contact your local Red Cross to find out about upcoming blood drives..
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