Why Be a HERO?
The Tri-County Red Cross needs HEROES to be there for disaster victims in our local communities, across the nation and internationally. Our staff and volunteers responded to more than 100 disasters in 2007, helping well in excess of 500 people with shelter, food and clothing as they worked to rebuild their lives.
We do this work without any government support, and more than 85 percent of donations to our chapter stay here to help your friends and neighbors. By becoming a HERO you make it possible for our volunteers to be there when they are most needed.
Perhaps you read about the Odami family who lost their home of a half century on the weekend before Christmas, with four generations having nowhere to stay for the holidays. Disaster volunteers Frank D’Amore of North Plainfield and Terri Esposito of South Plainfield provided them with rooms in a hotel beyond Christmas, and clothing and food as they worked to get their family back on its feet.
Or you may have heard about the 12 families who lost their homes in an apartment fire on New Years Eve, standing in the cold not wondering where they would watch the ball drop but if they had somewhere to sleep. Our volunteers – Terri Esposito of South Plainfield, Mike Prasad of Fanwood and Betty Wormley of Plainfield gave up their planned celebrations to go there and provide shelter and food for 22 adults and 14 children.
Since July we have already spent $50,000 in direct aid to more than 200 disaster victims, including 83 children, because of increased activity. That number is about 66 percent of our entire disaster relief we provided in 2006-7. We have now entered the busiest months of the year for house fires and then will move into flooding season, so we expect to have a lot more activity in the coming months.
I’m very proud of our disaster volunteers, who give up sleep, holidays and family dinners to go help complete strangers. But they cannot do their work without your generous support, and so I am asking you today to be a HERO.
Just send me an e-mail or contact Corinna Krauskopf at (908) 756-6414 or krauskopfc@usa.redcross.org, or become a HERO right now by donating $1,000 online.
Sincerely,
Melonie Marano
Chair, 2008 HEROES of the Red Cross
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