Local company, family support Red Cross Disaster Relief
The American Red Cross continues to help individuals and families affected by the 2008 storms and hurricanes this season: Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike. After responding to more than 60 large-scale disasters so far this year, including a record-breaking tornado season, widespread flooding across central U.S. and extensive wildfires, the American Red Cross is in the midst of an active hurricane season without a strong base of funds. Chapters across the country are working with the national organization to support a national fundraising campaign to raise an initial $100 million to fill a Disaster Relief Fund depleted after an active year of disasters.
Anheuser-Busch responded to the request for support by providing tens of thousands of cases of drinking water for disaster victims across the country. Next they pledged $500,000 from the Anheuser-Busch Foundation for the Disaster Relief Fund and then asked all of their wholesalers across the U.S. to join them in support of this effort.
Williams Distributing responded to that request and presented a contribution of $2,500 from their company to local Red Cross leadership on Sept. 26. The Sadowsky Family has also pledged to support this effort as well as the Pioneer Valley Chapter.
"We are deeply grateful to Williams Distributing and the Sadowsky family for their continued generosity and support both locally and nationally," Rick Lee, executive director of the Pioneer Valley Chapter, said. "Their immediate response to Anheuser-Busch's request is a testament to their strong sense of community responsibility. We are pleased to accept their gift as a part of the Anheuser Busch campaign for the National Disaster Relief Fund."
The Disaster Relief Fund allows the Red Cross to provide emergency assistance to help victims of disasters meet their immediate needs for food, shelter, counseling and other critical services. The Red Cross responds to 70,000 disasters each year the majority of them "silent" disasters never making the news. After tragedy strikes, the Red Cross relies on this fund to mobilize volunteers and resources to help communities throughout the United States.
While the organization is initially striving to raise $100 million to help those in need, the Red Cross is in the midst of both hurricane and wildfire season and does not know what the future will bring.
You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. You can log on to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) to make a donation. You can also use your cell phone to donate $5 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by text messaging the keyword "GIVE" to "2HELP" (24357). You can send multiple donations depending on your carrier. Contributions will appear on monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance. All applicable text rates apply.
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