By Julia Lugon
American Red Cross
It was a dark, stormy night when Deborah Abner arrived in Chapman, Kansas.  She was there with the Salvation Army to assist the survivors of an EF-3 tornado that left a path of destruction across the town, destroyed over 60 homes and left hundreds of families homeless. The violent storm took the lives of two people and damaged churches, business and schools.

She was there to help – but she was also scared. What can you do in a situation like this? How can you help families rebuild? As she walked around thinking about her next steps, a sigh of relief: the friendly face of an American Red Cross volunteer.

The Salvation Army and the Red Cross have worked together for years to help people in disasters.  In the 2008 Chapman tornado, the organizations worked side by side to feed survivors, volunteers and response teams.

“We were so glad to see each other because then we knew everything was going to be OK,” said Deborah, the Salvation Army’s assistant divisional director for disaster services.

Deborah and her Red Cross friend decided they would work together serving lunch and dinner at a tennis court nearby. Parking their emergency response vehicles in the shape of an L, they created an environment of hospitality, where people could hang out and have a nice meal. Many restaurants donated food, and there was a lot of barbecuing.

“This just became like a community center, a place for people to come and see normal for just a few hours every day. It was a happy, wonderful place and it started with two friends: one from the Salvation Army and one from the Red Cross,” Deborah said.

After a disaster, there’s a lot to do: sheltering, feeding, assistance with insurance, case work, mental health, cleaning debris, cutting trees, figuring out how to get back to a normal life. And in each one of these steps, there’s a different organization that can help.

“There’s so much to do that no organization can do it all on their own, and no one should have to,” said Joann Woody, Red Cross mass care program manager for Missouri.

By working together and coordinating efforts, disaster organizations can assist communities effectively, fulfill their mission and avoid duplicating services.

“We all know each other: it’s like working with family. If someone raises the red flag, we are all going to be there together and help out,” Joann said.

Among the many Red Cross partners is United Way 211 of Greater Kansas City, which connects survivors, donors, volunteers and emergency managers with their call center system. By feeding information in a huge database, United Way volunteers are able to identify the needs and resources available, connecting people to the most appropriate source.

“There’s a constant flow or information coming in after a disaster and things can change quickly,” said Gary Thurman, United Way 211 director in Kansas City. “There’s a lot of people out there doing a whole lot of good. If you just had your life turned upside down by a disaster and you need some help, we can connect you to those different organizations, help you navigate through all these different resources with the least amount of frustration.”

Immediately after a disaster, it’s common for organizations to gather in multi-agency resources centers to help survivors.

It is a one stop shop where families can talk with nonprofits, insurance companies, state agencies and mental health groups and figure out their next steps to recovery. These  centers wouldn’t be possible without the help of another Red Cross partner: Catholic Charities of Kansas City – St. Joseph.

“We all have the same goal of working with the survivors so they can become self-sufficient. And the more support they have, the better off they will be.  We understand that other nonprofits are great in what they do, so we utilize their talents in their areas of expertise so we can shine in our area of expertise,” said Kisha Thomas, Welcome Center director for Catholic Charities of Kansas City – St. Joseph.

In order to coordinate efforts and ensure organizations are in sync in a disaster response, there needs to be constant communication.

One of the ways to do this is through the Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD),  a national movement founded in the 1970s. With over 100 member organizations, including the Red Cross, and representation at the state and local level, this movement is guided by the principles of cooperation, communication, coordination and collaboration.

The Missouri VOAD is well-known for its excellent work and collaboration. The secret to success? According to Jody Dickhaut, Missouri VOAD chairman, it’s all about “rock star”organizations working together.

Aside from chairing the state VOAD, Jody also is a member of the Adventist Community Services, a longtime partner with Red Cross in disaster response.

Most recently, members of the Adventist group worked with the Red Cross to help Missouri flood survivors maneuver through the various agencies at the multi-agency resource centers set up in various towns where there had been flooding.

Jody said he realized years ago that it’s about organizations working together with the common goal of helping others while watching a TV interview with Joe Walsh, one of the members of the Eagles rock group.

When asked about the group’s success, Joe said that while most  rock bands have a single lead singer, whose ego can grow and hinder the collaborative nature of the band, the Eagles didn’t have one lead singer, they had four.

As much as they were all rock stars, they could never create on their own as individual artists what they could create together as a team. It was a matter of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.

“When you transfer that to the disaster world – The Red Cross, Adventist Community Services, Catholic Charities… every one of them is a rock star organization, they have so much capacity,” Jody said.  “But when we work together we can create something even better.  We’re not just adding our own capacity we’re exponentially growing.”

To view a video about Red Cross partners go to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7wgWiJgDQQ&feature=youtu.be

Thousands of people have responded to the American Red Cross emergency call for blood and platelet donations in early July, but there continues to be a critical summer blood shortage.

After issuing the emergency call, the Red Cross experienced a 30 percent increase in blood donation appointments through mid-July. About half of the appointments were scheduled by donors using the free Blood Donor App or at redcrossblood.org.

As a special thank you, those who donate blood or platelets with the Red Cross from July 26 through Aug. 31 will be emailed a $5 Target eGiftCard™.*

 Despite this improvement, blood products are still being distributed to hospitals as fast as donations are coming in, so more donations are needed to meet patient needs and replenish the blood supply.

“The blood supply is like a cell phone battery, it constantly needs recharging,” said Joe Zydlo, external communications manager of the Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region. “We sincerely appreciate those who have responded to the call to help save lives and encourage those who haven’t to consider rolling up a sleeve and give the gift of life. It only takes about an hour but can mean a lifetime for patients.”

Nearly 61,000 fewer blood donations than needed were given through the Red Cross in May and June, prompting the emergency call in early July. The shortfall was the equivalent of the Red Cross not receiving any blood donations for more than four days.

To schedule an appointment to donate, use the Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities through August 15 in the Greater Kansas City Chapter service area:

 JULY 26
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Kansas City Fire Department, 6750 Eastwood Trafficway, Kansas City.
7 a.m. – Noon, Missouri Department of Transportation, 600 NE Colbern Rd., Lees Summit.

JULY 27
10 a.m. – 2 p.m., City Center Square, 1100 Main Street, Kansas City.

JULY 28
9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Red Cross Chapter, 211 W. Armour Blvd, Kansas City.

JULY 29
10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Apostolic Church of God, 1911 Hardesty Ave., Kansas City.
1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Spartan Athletics, 725 NW Commerce Dr., Lees Summit

JULY 31
2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Victory Christian Fellowship, 903 W Walnut St., Waverly.

AUG. 3
9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Kansas City Courthouse, 415 E. 12^th St., Kansas City.
2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Presbyterian Disciples Church, 914 Franklin Ave, Lexington.

AUG 4
1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Hy Vee-Liberty, 109 N. Blue Jay Dr., Liberty.

AUG. 7
Noon – 4 p.m., North Kansas City YMCA, 1999 Iron, North Kansas City

AUG 9
9 a.m. – Noon, Adesa Kansas City, 15511 Adesa Dr., Belton.
11 a.m. – 4 p.m., zTrip, 1316 E. 14th St., Kansas City.

AUG. 10
10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Heritage Biologics Inc., 255 NW Victoria Dr., Lees Summit.

 

The American Red Cross will host a “Military and Veterans Family Day” on Saturday, July 15. The free workshops will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the chapter’s offices at 211 W. Armour Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Sessions for both adults and children will focus on reconnecting military members and veterans with their families. Those interested in attending may register at http://bit.ly/2r316wy.

 “Often those who have served in the military need tools to help them deal with the stress of reuniting with their families,” says Jason Ramlow, regional director of the Service to the Armed Forces of the Red Cross.

“We will offer a workshop for adults on how to better communicate with spouses and family members, and another session for children will help them learn to reconnect with parents who have been deployed or away from home.”

In hosting this event, the Red Cross is partnering with the Missouri Humanities Council, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Veterans Community Project and the Mid-Continent Public Library.

The Veterans Community Project will be showcasing one of their tiny homes at this event. Stop by and write a note for veteran, welcoming them to their new home.

The Red Cross’ commitment to members of the U.S. military, its veterans and their families continues to grow and develop more than a century after founder Clara Barton first recruited nurses to support the Army.

Today, the Red Cross is meeting the needs of a changing military and expanding services to veterans. Red Cross support of military members and their families enhances morale and contributes to increased operational capability in several ways.

Whether delivering comfort items to ill or injured service members at a military hospital, providing mental health skill-building workshops to military families, or assisting families during an emergency, Red Cross volunteers are there for our military 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The American Red Cross is facing a critical blood shortage and is issuing an emergency call for eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood types to give now and help save lives.

Blood donations have fallen short of expectations nationally for the past two months, resulting in about 61,000 fewer donations than needed and causing a significant draw down of the Red Cross blood supply. The shortfall is the equivalent of the Red Cross not collecting any blood donations for more than four days.

Blood shortages often worsen around Independence Day due to many fewer volunteer-hosted blood drives at places of work, worship or community gathering, and this year is no exception. Nearly 700 fewer blood drives are scheduled during the Independence Day week than the weeks before and after the holiday.

Overall, the summer months are among the most challenging for blood and platelet donations as regular donors delay giving while they vacation and participate in summer activities. In a recent survey of Red Cross blood donors, more than 73 percent indicated vacation plans this summer, many of them occurring the weeks before and after Independence Day.

Every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant procedures, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must collect nearly 14,000 blood donations every day for patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals across the country.

To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross has added more than 25,000 appointment slots at donation centers and community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to accommodate more donors.

Here is the list of donation sites in the Kansas City Metro Area for the month of July:

MISSOURI
Blue Springs
July 21: Noon-4 p.m., Outlaw Harley Davidison, 3100 Northwest Jefferson.

Independence
July 7: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Pizza Ranch, 4660 Bass Pro Drive.
July 17: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., US Bank Noland Road Branch, 3640 South Noland Road.
July 21: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Bass Pro Shop Independence, 18001 Bass Pro Drive.
July 25, 3 p.m.-7 p.m., Genesis Health Clubs, 3850 South Crackerneck Road.

Kansas City
July 9: 9:30 a.m-1:30 p.m., Highlands Community of Christ Church, 7615 North Platte Purchase Drive. (In memory of Marta Smith)
July 10: 2 p.m.-6 p.m., KCI Crossfit, 10601 Northwest Ambassador Drive, Suite G.
July 15: 10 a.m.-7 p.m, Swope Parkway Church of Christ, 5620 Swope Parkway.
July 18: 3 p.m-7 p.m., Genesis Health Clubs, 8600 Ward Parkway, Suite 7.
July 20: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Kansas City City Hall , 414 East 12^th Street.
July  21: 8 a.m.-Noon, Boilermakers Local 83, 5910 East 86^th Street.
July 24: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sea Life Kansas City Aquarium- Shark Week Extravaganza, 2475 Grand Blvd.
July 25: 3 p.m.-7 p.m., Greek Orthodox Church-Annunciation, 12001 Wornall Road.

Kearney
July 20: 1 p.m.-5 p.m., KCB Bank, 950 West 92 Highway.

KANSAS
Atchison
July 10: 2:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 603 North 8^th Street.

Basehor
July 17: 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Basehor Community Library, 1400 158^th Street.

Kansas City
July 6: Noon-4 p.m., AT&T Mobility, 10620 Parallel Parkway.

Leawood
July 6: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Creative One, 11460 Tomahawk Creek Parkway.
July 22: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 4501 West 119^th Street.

Mission
July 13: 8 a.m.-Noon, Vin Solutions, 5700 Broadmoor, 9^th Floor.

Olathe
July 6: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Aberdeen Village, 17500 West 119^th Street.
July 11: 4 p.m.-8 p.m., 151^st Street Church of Christ, 13875 West 151^st Street.
July 12: 1 p.m.-5 p.m., Bass Pro Shop Olathe, 12051 Bass Pro Drive.
July 22: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 14500 151^st Street.

Overland Park
July 7: 11:30 p.m.-6 p.m., Overland Park Regional Medical Center, 10500 Quivira Road.
July 14: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Security Bank of Kansas City, 7500 West 95^th Street.
July 15: 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m., St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 12251 Antioch Road.
July 20: 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Menorah Medical Center, 5721 West 119^th Street.
July 25: 3 p.m.-7 p.m., Lifetime Fitness OP, 6800 West 138^th Street.

Prairie Village
July 11: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., US Bank Mission Road Branch, 6940 Mission Road.

Shawnee
July 24: 3 p.m.-7 p.m., Genesis Health Clubs, 11311 West Shawnee Mission Parkway.

The American Red Cross urges those in the Western Missouri Region who have never given blood before –  as well as those who haven’t given recently – to make an appointment to give blood or platelets now and help sustain a sufficient community blood supply this summer.

While the need for blood is constant during the summer months, the Red Cross experiences a drastic decline in new donors. Many schools where blood drives are held – and where new donors give – are not in session, and current donors often delay giving due to summer vacation plans.

In Missouri, 39 percent fewer new blood donors came out to give last summer than during the rest of the year. In Kansas, that number was 42 percent fewer, and nationally it was 32 percent.

 While about 38 percent of the population is eligible to give blood, less than 10 percent of those eligible actually do. The blood donation process takes about an hour with the actual donation only taking about 10 minutes. Whether you are new to donating blood or a lifelong donor, the Red Cross offers helpful tips for an enjoyable donation experience:

• As much as possible, eat iron-rich foods leading up to your donation.
• Drink an extra 16 ounces of liquid before and after the donation.
• Have a healthy meal before the donation.
• Wear comfortable clothing with sleeves that can be raised above the elbow.
• Complete a RapidPass at org/rapidpass on the day of donation, prior to arriving, to save time.
• Remember to bring a picture ID, blood donor card or two other forms of identification.

“Every day, we have thousands of lives to help save, but blood and platelet donations often do not keep pace with hospital demand during the summer months,” said Joe Zydlo, Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region spokesman. “In less time than it can take to go out to eat, you can make a lifesaving difference for cancer patients, accident victims and others in need.”

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

MISSOURI
Kansas City: June 2, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Red Cross Chapter, 211 W. Armour Blvd.

KANSAS
Leavenworth: June 3, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., VFW Post 56, 523 Cherokee St.
Kansas City: June 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Earp Distribution, 2730 S. 98th St.
Bonner Springs: June 13, 3 p.m.-7 p.m., Elm Grove Baptist Church, 15774 Linwood Rd.

Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information.

Red Cross volunteer Oscar Peterson of the Greater Kansas City Chapter shakes hands with Deacon Greg Clark of the First Assembly of God Church  in Van Buren, MO.  The Red Cross provided box fans for flood victims in the town. (Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)

By Carl Manning
American Red Cross

With much being done by Red Cross volunteers to help those in need after the massive Missouri flooding, often it’s the little things that make the difference and create lasting friendships among strangers.

Take the case of the Red Cross response in the Van Buren, MO where the Red Cross joined its many partners at the Multi-Agency Resource Center, a one-stop shop for disaster relief.

Scores of homes were damaged in the county-seat town of 900 by floodwaters from the nearby Current River. But like many isolated towns in the Ozarks, residents have learned to depend on themselves and outsiders, including the Red Cross, have to earn their trust.

“What affects one of us affects all of us. We pull together because to us it’s all about neighbor helping neighbor,” explained Deacon Greg Clark of the First Assembly of God Church.

At the church, people can pick up Red Cross supplies such as cleanup kits, rakes, shovels and trash bags along with hundreds of other items donated by partner groups.

A Red Cross volunteer was talking to the deacon and asked if there was anything else he needed. Deacon Greg looked down at the ground and pondered before replying.

“Well, we really could use a few box fans,” he said quietly with a tone that anticipated rejection.

The fans are important because residents use them to help dry the interiors of their homes after water-soaked items had been stacked outside at the curb. The problem is the demand far exceeds the number of available fans in town.

When the request reached the MARC manager, Red Cross volunteer Oscar Peterson of the Greater Kansas City Chapter, his response was simple.

“We have to find the way to ‘yes’ on this for the sake of this community. They have suffered so much already,” the retired firefighter told his MARC colleagues.

Oscar explained the situation to those at the Red Cross disaster relief operations headquarters in St. Louis and was told that a fan-filled van would be sent there.

The next afternoon, the van arrived and the deacon broke into a broad grin as Oscar and other volunteers started toting the cartons of fans inside the church.

“You guys have bent over backwards. You have been over the top helpful,” the deacon said. “Everything we’ve remotely asked for, you have done your best to deliver.”

And with that single effort of bringing fans to the deacon, the Red Cross no longer was seen as an outsider but a neighbor helping a neighbor.

“When people ask, I’m going to tell them, trust me the Red Cross is here to help the community and they are here for as long as we need them,” Deacon Greg said as he and Oscar shook hands.

 

Red Cross volunteer Mary Brod, a caseworker from Richmond, VA, puts her arm around Dennis Schweiger while he was Dennis that the Red Cross would provide financial assistance in his flood recovery. (Red Cross photo by Carl Manning)

 By Carl Manning
American Red Cross

When the water started rising, Dennis Schweiger really wasn’t worried until his wife Markey called from work and told him the area around her was flooding.

He told her he would come pick her up, but when he stepped on the front porch, he saw the swift moving rising water engulfing his front yard. That’s when he started worrying.

“While I was standing on the porch talking to my wife, I saw my garage float by with my Corvette in it,” Dennis recalled. “I held my dog because if I had put him down he would have been a goner.”

He said the water went down almost as quickly as it rose, but the damage had been scores of homes in the West Plains, Mo., area. Now it was a matter of recovering and salvaging what could be saved.

A few days after all that happened, Dennis heard about a Multi-Agency Resource Center, or MARC, being held at the civic center with the American Red Cross and some 20 partner agencies there to help those recovering from the flood. It’s one of some 18 scheduled to operate in the flooded areas of the state.

Essentially, a MARC is one-stop shopping with various agencies gathered at one location to help people. Dennis wasn’t sure what would be there, but he decided to check it out and liked what he saw.

“It makes it so much simpler for people who have been through all this turmoil. They really can walk out of here with peace of mind,” Dennis said.

Like the others there, Dennis registered and was assigned a Adventist Community Services volunteer who guided him from one location to the next to make sure he didn’t overlook an agency where he might get assistance.

One of the first stops for Dennis was the Red Cross, and volunteer Les Orser of Grand Junction, CO, who specializes in disaster counseling. After talking several minutes, Dennis shook hands and was taken to his next stop along the large circle of tables of assistance groups.

Les said recovering from a disaster can be difficult and often it helps to talk to someone who can put things in perspective. He advises people to concentrate on what needs to be done that day rather than focusing on the overall problem.

Dennis also talked to Red Cross caseworkers to get an idea of what they could do help him in his recovery, a long process that will include major interior repairs to the double-wide mobile home.

He next talked to Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri volunteer Dee Maples who explained that her organization among other things has teams to help repair and rebuild damaged homes.

Dennis also talked to those from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, where he found information about avoiding various scams that often follow disasters and the University of Missouri Extension Service, that had information on such things as how to replace lost vital documents and tips on cleaning up after the flood.

At the Salvation Army table, Dennis was explaining what he had gone through when Red Cross caseworker Mary Brod of Richmond, VA., walked up and told him he was eligible for financial assistance after a Red Cross damage assessment team had checked out his home while he was making the rounds at the MARC.

As he started to thank her, Mary put her arm around him to assure him that thing will be better and reflexively he did the same with her.

His journey around the circle of assistance completed, Dennis stepped outside where he was met by other Red Cross volunteers offering items such as rakes, shovels, storage bins, clean up kits from the Salvation Army and even dog food.

“I got more help than I really expected and I’m sure there will be more to come,” he said with a smile.