MOBILE, Ala., December 12, 2008 – The Red Cross has designated December 13 “National Day of Giving for the American Red Cross” as part of its efforts to reach the $100 million fundraising goal for the Campaign for Disaster Relief, which the organization launched in September. 

“We’ve made some incredible progress toward our goal in a short period of time,” said Jeffrey Towers, chief development officer of the Red Cross, “and we’re confident that the National Day of Giving for the American Red Cross will bring us that much closer.”

Red Cross volunteers and employees will reach out on December 13 to their friends and neighbors to help raise money for the Campaign for Disaster Relief, which aims to replenish the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. The fund was depleted as a result of a very busy year for disasters, including a record number of tornadoes, severe flooding in the central United States and an active hurricane season. From January through October 2008, the Red Cross had already responded to more than 70 large-scale disasters.

“One thing we all have in common is that no one is immune from a disaster. Even if you don’t live in an area that gets hit by hurricanes or earthquakes, events like house fires and floods can happen anywhere. The Disaster Relief Fund is what we all rely on to help people when they need it,” said Leisle Mims, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Alabama Gulf Coast Chapter.

There are several ways the public can help the Red Cross meet its $100 million goal, which will go toward helping the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year: 

• Donate at one of the following locations from 8:00am-12:00pm on December 13, 2008.
  • Chapter Headquarters - Corner of Dauphin & Broad Streets in downtown Mobile.
  • Bruno’s – Plantation Point Shopping Center in Fairhope (903 Fairhope Ave.)
  • Greer’s Food Tiger – 10801 Dauphin Island Pkwy
  • Ship’n’Shore – Dauphin Island (401 Lemoyne Dr.)
  • Southern Family Market – Atmore (161 Lindberg Ave.)
• Donate to the Red Cross by going to www.redcross.org or calling 1-800-REDCROSS (for Spanish-speakers, 1-800-257-7575).
• Send contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund to the Alabama Gulf Coast Chapter at P.O. Box 1764, Mobile, AL 36633 or to the National American Red Cross at P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
• Use your cell phone to donate $5 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by text messaging the keyword “GIVE” (4483) to “2HELP” (24357). 

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