American Red Cross, Gaston County Chapter :: Together, We Can Save a Life

Top disaster responses of 2002

Dear Friends:

As we take time to look back over 2002 and recount our blessings, the American Red Cross wants to express its heartfelt gratitude for the generous support that we receive from the American people.

We are grateful because, despite recent media reports to the contrary, it was a very busy year for disasters and your support enabled us to provide disaster relief and assistance to more than 550,000 families who were affected by large-scale disasters -- roughly the population of Denver, Colorado.

These are the Top 5 disasters that you may have heard about this past year:

-- Hurricane Lili/Tropical Storm Isidore
   October 2002 (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama).
   Cost: $15.8 million.
   Families assisted: 75,256.

-- Texas Floods and Tornadoes
   March-October 2002.
   Cost: $13.5 Million.
   Families assisted: 25,448.

-- Western Wildfires
   April-July 2002 (Arizona, Colorado, California, Oregon).
   Cost: $8.1 Million.
   Families assisted: 8,010.

-- Veterans Day Tornadoes
   November 2002 (Alabama, Ohio, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia).
   Cost: $3.7 Million.
   Families assisted: 3,939.

-- Typhoon Chata'an
   July 2002 (Guam).
   Cost: $5.4 Million.
   Families assisted: 3,998.

What you probably didn't hear about, though, are the more than 67,000 in-state disaster responses that our 987 chapters across the country responded to this year. There is no such thing as a small disaster. A one-alarm house fire is just as devastating for the family that experiences it as a tornado or a hurricane -- and 93 percent of all Red Cross disaster responses single-family fires.

The American people count on the Red Cross to be there, with food, shelter, clothing, crisis counseling, and other vital services when disaster strikes. We meet that expectation day in and day out in hometowns all across the country thanks to the hard work of our volunteers and our staff, the support of our business and community partners, and the generous financial gifts from the public.

However, even when the weather outside isn't frightful, the American Red Cross still needs your help. Your gifts help chapters continue to support their communities every season.

On behalf of the 550,000-plus families helped by the Red Cross during 2002, and the untold thousands who will need help in the year 2003, thank you for your generosity. Happy New Year.

Christopher T. Giles
Chairman, Board of Directors

More more on the Top 5 Disaster Responses, click here

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© 2002 American Red Cross, Gaston County Chapter
190 S. Oakland Street | Gastonia, NC 28052
(704) 864-2623 | (704) 864-7904 (fax)

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