MOBILE, Ala., Wednesday, September 24, 2008 — The Disaster Relief Fund is depleted from a record number of tornadoes this year, the worst flooding in the Midwest in 15 years, an early wildfire season and an active hurricane season that is not over yet.

The Disaster Relief Fund gives people the chance to help anywhere in the nation. Whenever and wherever disaster strikes the Disaster Relief Fund will ensure that Red Cross help comes quickly. To ensure the Red Cross continues its help for disaster victims, we need your help. We are calling on everyone to support the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which allows the Red Cross to provide help whenever and wherever disasters occur. Initially, we need $100 million to help those who need us. But we’re in the midst of hurricane and wildfire season and we don’t know what the future will bring. While we raise this money, we will continue to borrow money to meet the needs of disaster victims. But we know that just doesn’t make good business sense and we can’t keep doing that long term. We are looking for a way to transform Red Cross fundraising so we don’t have to rely on episodic disasters.

Since January 2008, the Red Cross has responded to thousands of house fires and more than 60 large scale-disasters—hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and wildfires—which have steadily depleted the Disaster Relief Fund. The big, visible disasters easily spur people to help disaster victims. But when the media attention wanes, we struggle to pay for the services we provide. There is a perception Louisiana “dodged a bullet” from Hurricane Gustav. The reality is the Red Cross is still on the ground feeding and sheltering those who returned to find their homes damaged or without power. The Red Cross continues helping individuals and families affected by the 2008 storms and hurricanes, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike. We are looking at a very large, lengthy relief operation that could stretch into the coming months. Millions of people in Louisiana & Texas still have no electricity and it could be weeks until their power is restored. It may be months until Galveston reopens. Thousands who evacuated don’t know if their homes are damaged or when they can return home.

During this active disaster year, the cost of providing relief has rapidly outpaced contributions to the Red Cross. We estimate we will spend $40-$70 million on our relief efforts for Gustav and so far, we’ve only raised a fraction of what is needed. In the interim, we are borrowing money to cover the costs of the hurricanes of 2008. Despite this, we haven’t cut any of our services to disaster victims and do not expect to do so.

You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster.

Donors can go online to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Spanish speakers can call 1-800-257-7575. You can also use your cell phone to donate $5 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by text messaging the keyword “GIVE” to “2HELP” (24357). You can send multiple donations depending on your carrier. Contributions will appear on monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance. All applicable text rates apply. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, you should call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). Locally, donors can call the Alabama Gulf Coast Chapter at (251) 438-2571 or log on to www.redcrossalcoast.org.

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All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.