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Disaster Relief
The Southwestern Indiana Chapter of the American Red Cross reached out to thousands of disaster victims with emergency assistance this past year. Whether it was responding to storms that devastated entire communities in the Tri-State or deploying volunteers to affected areas of the country, our chapter provided various forms of disaster relief including shelter, food, health and mental health counseling services to those in need.


Hurricane season hits home

When the phone calls came, 25 local volunteers packed their bags for the Gulf Coast and left behind friends and families to help those whose lives had been disrupted by the 2008 hurricane season.

While many local volunteers were still deployed to the Gulf Coast as part of hurricane relief efforts, our own area was struck by what remained of Hurricane Ike. Severe winds caused massive destruction within a matter of hours — residents experienced power outages and some were trapped by downed trees strewn across major roads.

Local volunteers sprang into action, preparing and serving over 2,500 meals and providing 30 people without suitable shelter with a comfortable place to stay. For the first time in Chapter history, we intiated mobile feeding operations using our Emergency Response Vehicles (left) to deliver meals to those in need during massive power outage.

RESOURCES:
"Wind and rain slam Tri-State" Courier & Press
"Red Cross volunteer blows home" Courier & Press
"Wind and rain slam Tri-State" Courier & Press
"73-year-old volunteer joins group in Texas relief efforts" Courier & Press
PHOTO GALLERY: Sept. 14 Wind Damage Courier & Press

WINDS FROM IKE: Strong winds caused severe damage and massive power outage.

 

 
Ice storm paralyzes thousands
Only four months after the powerful winds of Hurricane Ike tested the resolve of our volunteers and supporters, we faced what may be the most significant challenge in our chapter’s history when an unprecendented ice storm devastated the region, leaving entire communities without power, food and suitable shelter.

Conditions worsened as temperatures plummeted. The Indiana National Guard was deployed as icy roads made travel nearly impossible and normally reliable resources were exhausted. People from all walks of life suddenly found themselves cold, hungry and stranded.

Faced with an enormous task, our chapter responded immediately and aggressively. National Guard troops transported hundreds of people to one of our five shelters for assistance. Over the course of the disaster, we served over 6,500 meals and sheltered more than 900 people. In partnership with Vectren, we enacted a massive, proactive effort to ensure residents had the resources to outlast the effects of the storm. The program, called Neighbor to Neighbor, involved the support of 275 volunteers who visited more than 14,000 homes in the community.

RESOURCES:
"Powerless residents warming to shelter" Courier & Press
"Guard soldiers come to rescue of the powerless" Courier & Press
Man Helps Others After Being Helped TriStateHomepage.com
PHOTO GALLERY: Winter Ice Storm Courier & Press

NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR: In a partnership with Vectren, Red Cross volunteers visited residents trapped in their homes by the ice.
   

The Southwestern Indiana Chapter of the American Red Cross
29 S. Stockwell Road Evansville, IN 47714 | Phone: 812-471-7200 | Fax: 812-471-7210