“Sometimes it’s the small things that make a big difference.”

When the clothes dryer in his Staten Island home burst into flames, Marc Chernoff rushed his wife, Laura, and their two-year-old son out of the house. A few weeks later, they came to Chapter headquarters to get some advice on how to talk to their son, “to make sure he feels safe and secure,” explained Laura, adding, “We didn't realize the Red Cross helped in this type of situation."

“Our son keeps talking about the fire,” said Marc. “All his stuff was destroyed, and the fire ruined a trip to Disneyworld.” But he said that he and Laura were very pleased that they were eligible for Red Cross mental health counseling and by the fact that “a fantastic woman” behind the front desk at Red Cross Client Services gave them a Mickey Mouse doll for their son. “Sometimes it’s the small things that make a big difference,” said Marc.

–Laura and Marc Chernoff, Staten Island,NY