Washington: This weekend, the American Red Cross has a major effort
underway to hand out relief supplies while continuing to provide meals, shelter
and comfort to people throughout New Jersey and all five boroughs of New York.
"Every day Red Cross volunteers are loading trucks and
traveling to affected neighborhoods with food and supplies. Our disaster
workers are carrying these relief items up multiple flights of stairs in high
rises, doing whatever we can to reach more people who need help," said
Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Disaster Services for the Red
Cross. "We understand that people are living in very tough conditions and
we are doing everything possible to assist them during this difficult time."
Throughout neighborhoods devastated by Sandy, Red Cross
volunteers are handing out thousands of bags stuffed with relief supplies such
as cleaning, hygiene and comfort items over the weekend. Approximately 90
percent of the more than 5,700 Red Cross disaster workers deployed are
volunteers who have left the comfort of their home and family to help those in
need.
In addition to delivering relief supplies, the extensive Red
Cross feeding operation in partnership with the Southern Baptist Convention
continues, with kitchens and fixed feeding sites spread across New York and New
Jersey. With more than 300 emergency response vehicles circulating through the
region, volunteers also continue to provide mobile distribution of water, food
and supplies to affected neighborhoods.