Local Red Cross Director Says National Fund Empty
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
As Hurricane Isabel continues to pound the East Coast, the American Red Cross is facing a hard time of its own.
The American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund is empty, according to American Red Cross Kosciusko County Chapter Executive Director Larry Peppel.
The fund is an emergency reserve that enables the Red Cross to give immediate help to people affected by both widespread and smaller disasters that occur throughout the country every day. The fund is the primary funding source that enables disaster victims to get help immediately regardless of type of disaster, disaster location, the community's or individual's ability to financially support the relief services and the amount of donations that come from the public.
During the Red Cross' fiscal year - July 1, 2002, to June 30, 2003 - the organization spent $114.3 million but received only $39.5 million. Peppel said the reasons for the depletion of funds are varied - the poor economy, a pair of typhoons in Guam and the tornadoes and flooding throughout the country, including in Indiana, in the past year.
Ideally, Peppel said, the national organization wants to maintain $50 million in the relief fund at all times. No one knows when the next disaster is going to strike and the American Red Cross always must have enough money in the Disaster Relief Fund to respond immediately.
Peppel said the request for assistance is not about the local chapter, but for the national relief fund. However, if Kosciusko County were to have a disaster, the local chapter would ask the national American Red Cross organization for support.
"When there's a major disaster somewhere," said Peppel, "people come from all areas to respond."
To donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, go online at www.redcross.org; call 800-HELP-NOW (800-435-7669); 800-257-7575 (Spanish); or send donations to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
The local chapter at 320 N. Buffalo St., Warsaw, also will accept gifts and forward them on to the national relief fund for disaster relief whether that's for Hurricane Isabel's victims or the next disaster. The Red Cross encourages undesignated donations to the Disaster Relief Fund to make it possible for the Red Cross to use donated dollars where they are needed most. [[In-content Ad]]
As Hurricane Isabel continues to pound the East Coast, the American Red Cross is facing a hard time of its own.
The American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund is empty, according to American Red Cross Kosciusko County Chapter Executive Director Larry Peppel.
The fund is an emergency reserve that enables the Red Cross to give immediate help to people affected by both widespread and smaller disasters that occur throughout the country every day. The fund is the primary funding source that enables disaster victims to get help immediately regardless of type of disaster, disaster location, the community's or individual's ability to financially support the relief services and the amount of donations that come from the public.
During the Red Cross' fiscal year - July 1, 2002, to June 30, 2003 - the organization spent $114.3 million but received only $39.5 million. Peppel said the reasons for the depletion of funds are varied - the poor economy, a pair of typhoons in Guam and the tornadoes and flooding throughout the country, including in Indiana, in the past year.
Ideally, Peppel said, the national organization wants to maintain $50 million in the relief fund at all times. No one knows when the next disaster is going to strike and the American Red Cross always must have enough money in the Disaster Relief Fund to respond immediately.
Peppel said the request for assistance is not about the local chapter, but for the national relief fund. However, if Kosciusko County were to have a disaster, the local chapter would ask the national American Red Cross organization for support.
"When there's a major disaster somewhere," said Peppel, "people come from all areas to respond."
To donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, go online at www.redcross.org; call 800-HELP-NOW (800-435-7669); 800-257-7575 (Spanish); or send donations to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
The local chapter at 320 N. Buffalo St., Warsaw, also will accept gifts and forward them on to the national relief fund for disaster relief whether that's for Hurricane Isabel's victims or the next disaster. The Red Cross encourages undesignated donations to the Disaster Relief Fund to make it possible for the Red Cross to use donated dollars where they are needed most. [[In-content Ad]]