American Red Cross Commits $4 Million More to Help People of Nepal

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross is committing an additional $4 million to help the people of Nepal recover after the devastating earthquake which hit the country on April 25, bringing the total American Red Cross contribution thus far to $5 million.

Red Cross Societies from all over the world, led by the Nepal Red Cross and supported by the American Red Cross, have mounted an international response to bring assistance to people in Nepal.

American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern and Chief International Officer David Meltzer will be visiting Red Cross relief operations in Nepal May 10 and 11. They will also meet with leadership from the Nepal Red Cross and the global Red Cross movement to assist in planning and help make decisions for ongoing American Red Cross support of the recovery efforts in Nepal.

ON THE GROUND As many as eight million people's lives have been impacted by the quake. Reports vary, but the earthquake has killed 7,700 people, injured more than 16,400, and damaged or destroyed more than 500,000 homes. More than three million people are in need of food assistance.

Many people, fearful of returning to unstable structures, continue to sleep in the open, in cold and wet conditions. Approximately 37,500 people are currently staying in camps in the Kathmandu Valley. Getting supplies into Nepal and reaching some areas is still a challenge, some accessible only on foot. Priorities are shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, health care and food.

The Nepal Red Cross has disaster teams operating in the most affected regions, distributing shelter materials, hygiene kits, blankets, health care supplies and meals and rice to those in need. More than 28,000 tarps, 2,000 sets of relief supplies and almost 242 million water purification tablets have already been distributed. More than 4,000 first aid volunteers have mobilized throughout the districts.

AMERICAN RED CROSS The American Red Cross is providing relief supplies and has deployed ten disaster specialists to support the relief effort. Nine of these specialists are in Nepal to support emergency relief, cash transfer programming, information management, recovery planning and IT/telecoms. An additional specialist is in Geneva to help with global Red Cross efforts online. The American Red Cross is also providing remote mapping and information management support, with nearly 4,500 volunteers contributing to mapping Nepal.

HOW TO HELP To help people affected by disasters big and small, visit Redcross.org or contact your local American Red Cross chapter.

HELP FINDING LOVES ONES The Nepal Red Cross Society and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are working to reunite families separated by the earthquake in Nepal. To learn more, visit the Nepal Earthquake Restoring Family Links page on the ICRC web site.

SUPPORT HELPS RED CROSS BE PREPARED The generous donations from Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) and the Disaster Responder Program members enable the American Red Cross to prepare communities for disasters big and small, respond whenever and wherever disasters occur and help families during the recovery process.

The ADGP members are: Wells Fargo; Wawa; Walmart; VSP℠Vision care for life; UPS; United Technologies Corporation; United Airlines; The TJX Companies, Inc.; The Home Depot; Target; Sunoco; State Farm; Sprint; Southwest Airlines; San Manuel Band of Mission Indians; Samsung; Prudential Foundation; PepsiCo Foundation; Nationwide Insurance Foundation; National Grid; Mondelēz International Foundation; Merck & Co., Inc.; Meijer; Medtronic; Mazda North American Operations; Lowe's Companies, Inc.; LDS Charities; Kraft Foods Group Foundation; Kimberly-Clark Corporation; Johnson Controls; John Deere Foundation; Humble Bundle; Grainger; Ford Motor Company; FedEx Corporation; Edison International; Dr Pepper Snapple Group; Disney; Discover; Darden Restaurants Foundation; Costco Wholesale; ConAgra Foods Foundation; Citi Foundation; Cisco Foundation; Caterpillar Foundation; Capital One; BNY Mellon; Bank of America; Aon; Anthem Foundation; Anheuser Busch Foundation; American Express; American Airlines; Altria Group; 3M

The Disaster Responder Program members are: U.S. Bank; T O Y O T A; Swiss Re Foundation; State Street; Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Foundation, Inc.; San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E); Ryder; Residence Inn by Marriott; PuroClean; PSEG Foundation; Procter & Gamble Company; Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation; Northrup Grumman Corporation; New Balance Foundation; Morgan Stanley; MetLife Foundation; Marsh & McLennan Companies; Land O'Lakes, Inc.; Ingersoll Rand Foundation; IKEA; Hewlett Packard Company Foundation; H&M; General Motors Foundation; Farmers Insurance; Delta Air Lines; The Clorox Company; Carlson Rezidor Hotels; Bi-Lo Holdings parent company of BI-LO, Harveys and Winn-Dixie; Ball Foundation; AXA; AvalonBay Communities, Inc.; AT&T; AstraZeneca; Astellas USA Foundation; Alcoa; and 1-800-BOARDUP.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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SOURCE American Red Cross