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Local Red Cross gets $20,000 Walmart grant
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MIDDLE TOWNSHIP - The American Red Cross Southern Shore Chapter has received a $20,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation and is one of 128 Red Cross chapters awarded funds as part of the foundation's initiative to support disaster response and capacity building projects nationwide.
The Cape May County Chapter joined forces with Atlantic and Cumberland counties in December, 2008 and is now known as the Southern Shore Chapter. Pam Grites, executive director, said some of the $20,000 Walmart grant already was used to purchase a supply trailer and 100 cots for disaster response. The grant also is being used to recruit and train disaster volunteers, as well as expand services in Cape May County.
"Our chapter is thrilled and grateful to have been awarded these funds to build our local capacity to respond to emergencies throughout Atlantic, Cumberland and Cape May counties," Grites said. "We bought the cots and shelter supplies and now will work with the Office of Emergency Management to provide a vehicle to tow the trailer where it needs to go. John Bloom (Emergency Services Specialist) is in charge of facilitating the grant money, as far as training new volunteers, which we always need. This grant just helped us hit the ground running in Cape May County and will allow us to expand our services."
Grites said in the last few months the chapter has responded to 14 fire calls with families displaced from their homes in Cape May County.
"In total this past year, we responded to 168 household fires and helped 500 to 600 fire victims," Grites said. "People often just think of blood services when they think of the American Red Cross. Many people still are surprised when we show up at fire scenes even though that is a huge part of what we do. We put $110,000 right into the hands of fire victims to help them with safe shelter, food, clothing and necessities after fire destroyed their homes."
The chapter works to establish Disaster Action Teams that are the first responders to the scene of the fire. Teams are on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
"We have volunteers standing ready at all times to aid in these personal disasters," Grites said. "Something else the Red Cross does is provide messaging for military members whose families are experiencing a disaster or emergency, such as an illness or a death. It is our job to make sure their calls are verified and that their message is passed on as quickly as possible. It is a military decision to send the military member home to be with their loved ones."
Although emergency services is the primary mission of the American Red Cross, Grites said the chapter also offers classes in health and safety, all levels of CPR training, first aid and aquatics courses.
"We trained 11,000 people this year alone and will come out to organizations, workplaces, anywhere people want to learn these life saving courses," Grites said. "We are always in need of volunteers for blood services, for disaster response, instructors to teach the courses."
For more information on becoming a volunteer with the American Red Cross Southern Shore Chapter, call 465-7382 or visit them at 34 E. Mechanic St., Cape May Court House.
Posted in Cape_may on Friday, July 3, 2009 3:05 am
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