Debi Meeds Regional CEO Deploys to New York

			Southern Missouri Region 1545 N. West Bypass Springfield MO 65803 417-832-9500 Ext. 107 417-207-6349 Cell Media Contact:  Nigel Holderby nigel.holderby@redcross.org

 

Regional CEO Debi Meeds to Deploy

Support for Ongoing for Sandy Response

 

American Red Cross, Southern Missouri Region: 1/11/2013

 

As 2013 begins, the American Red Cross continues to help people by providing food, emotional support and assistance almost 70 days after Superstorm Sandy made landfall. As many of our Volunteers have returned or are returning from the east coast, others are packing their bags and preparing to leave, shifting gears as emergency needs decline and the focus moves to providing support for long-term recovery efforts. We know this will be an extended relief effort, and is the largest Red Cross response in the last five years.

 

Nearly 1000 Red Cross workers are still on the ground supporting survivors through our relief work even as we begin our long-term recovery efforts. Volunteers are providing food, water, relief supplies, health service and emotional support in some areas of New York. We continue to operate fixed feeding sites and provide some mobile feeding in areas where there is still a need. Through the generous donations of the people, the Red Cross is also helping to fund several community food banks in New York and New Jersey, trained Red Cross workers are helping people connect to recovery resources and working with community groups to identify available support.

 

Debi Meeds is no stranger to long-term recovery and what it means to a community. Her knowledge and valuable experience will be instrumental to the Red Cross team as they work tirelessly with partner agencies to ensure all those affected by disaster, move towards recovery and ultimately build stronger more resilient communities.  Debi will be leaving on a flight first thing Monday 1/14/2013 for a two week deployment to New York.  “Being part of a team that will help the people on the east coast recover, just like we have seen here in Joplin, is exciting.” said Debi. “We never want to see people suffer, but knowing that healing and recovery is possible helps us push forward. Together we can make our communities stronger.”

 

 

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 join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

 

 

In Service,

 

K. Nigel Holderby

Chief Communications Officer

American Red Cross

Southern Missouri Region

(417) 832-9500 ext 107 (p) 

(417) 207-6349 (c)