A Look Back at Red Cross Response to Severe Weather Outbreak

Last week, powerful storms left a devastating path of damage and despair from the Great Plains to the Gulf Coast and across the East Coast. As soon as the storms passed, the American Red Cross was on the ground, providing comfort and hope to thousands of people whose lives were turned upside down in just moments.

Today, nearly a thousand trained Red Cross workers are providing shelter, food, relief supplies, health services, emotional support and other assistance to those in need across 12 states. Dozens of Red Cross emergency vehicles are handing out meals, snacks and relief supplies in the hardest hit communities as road conditions permit.

Here in New York City, after near-record flooding, neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn found themselves under several feet of water. The devastation included lost possessions as well as the destruction of entire basement homes. Red Cross teams sprang into action to help families clean up and recover. They canvased hundreds of homes, handed out more than 500 clean-up items and provided over a dozen residents with emergency housing. They will continue to help as long as they are needed.

Learn more about the Red Cross spring tornadoes and flooding response.