While the sun is shining across the state this week, the situation is anything but bright for tens of thousands of residents who living along Georgia's coast.
The clean-up from Hurricane Matthew is underway and the American Red Cross is in the center of the relief efforts.
Joey Tripp with the American Red Cross of Northeast Georgia in Gainesville outlined a long list of duties the agency has performed before, during and now after the hurricane.
- Opened a total of 34 evacuation shelters providing safe haven to nearly 6,000 people fleeing the coast
- Attended to the needs of 2,000+ evacuees at the Savannah Civic Center who boarded buses for Richmond County shelters due to the mandatory evacuation
- Staffed 13 Emergency Operations Centers including the State Operations Center and county emergency management centers
- Served 35,010 meals and 36,286 snacks to shelter residents
- Provided health and mental health services to client
The national agency has positioned more than 500 workers, 39 response vehicles and 7 trailer loads of supplies in Georgia.
Now, said Tripp, the challenge is financing the ongoing efforts in coastal and south Georgia counties
Tripp said via email Tuesday afternoon that there are several ways to make donations to the Red Cross.
Locally, AccessWDUN readers can donate via a specific online donation site.
Donors also can give money via text, by texting the word MATTHEW to 90999 to make a $10 donation to directly support Hurricane Matthew relief efforts. In addition, donors can call 1-800-RED CROSS. Tripp also said for those who want to mail a gift locally, they can take monetary donations at the Gainesville office – American Red Cross of Northeast Georgia – P.O. Box 3370, Gainesville, GA 30503.
Editor's note: Please visit AccessWDUN often as we update the progress the American Red Cross is making with hurricane relief in Georgia.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/10/456700/american-red-cross-in-georgia-asks-for-donations-as-clean-up-efforts-for-hurricane-matthew-continue