San Luis Obispo County continues raising money for Haiti

Jan. 19, 2010 ---

The situation in Haiti remains desperate, but support from the American public is making it into the hands of survivors and more help is on the way.

“The support for the people of Haiti has been tremendous,” said Natalie Schaefer, CEO of the San Luis Obispo County Chapter of the American Red Cross.  “Generous San Luis Obispo County residents have sent or dropped off over $30,000 in the last seven days and that does not include the amount that has been donated by county residents on the web or by mobile phone.  It is gratifying to live in such a compassionate place.”

A partial list of fundraising efforts on behalf of the American Red Cross:

• Monday, Jan. 18 Bon Temps Creole Café in San Luis Obispo: 20% of all sales
• Wednesday, Jan. 20 SLO Baked: 100% of proceeds at all coffee bars and restaurants.
  You can find SLO Baked pastries at:
  
  • Black Horse (Higuera and Broad)
  • Campus Market (Cal Poly)
  • Edna Valley Market
  • Higher Groundz (Broad Street)
  • Monterey Street Espresso
  • Outspoken, A Beverage Bistro
  • Peet’s Coffee and Tea (Higuera Street and Cal Poly)
  • West End Espresso and Tea
  • Woodstone Market (Avila)
• Saturday, Jan. 23 from 3 to 11pm The Boardroom Surf Pub in Pismo Beach will donate all cover charges and raffle receipts
• Saturday, Jan. 29 from 6 to 10 p.m. Music benefit at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf/McDonalds 5 Cities Drive, Pismo Beach
• Ongoing collections began today at:
  Baywood Elementary School, Los Osos
  City of Paso Robles

Red Cross teams from other nations are delivering clean drinking water to survivors gathering in six different communities.

In addition to the first aid posts, outreach teams are also aiding the injured in nearby camps. Red Cross responders from six countries are treating injuries and triaging people for surgery at hospitals and medical centers in Port-au-Prince, Carrefour and Jacmel.

Planes and trucks carrying Red Cross humanitarian assistance are arriving in the region every day, delivering much needed materials such as medical supplies, tarps, blankets, hygiene items, buckets, shelter supplies and kitchen sets. So far, more than 500 tons of Red Cross aid has been mobilized.

The American Red Cross is providing approximately 3 million pre-packaged meals in partnership with the World Food Program in Haiti.

In the days ahead, the American Red Cross will provide supplies for temporary shelters in Haiti. Kits, containing wood, tarps, rope and tools, as well as tents and blankets, will be made available for an initial 20,000 families.

Approximately 100 American Red Cross Creole-speaking volunteers will be aboard the USNS Comfort to translate for patients.
In Florida, American Red Cross chapters are providing a variety of support services as U.S. citizens return to the United States from Haiti. These services may vary slightly depending on the individuals’ needs when they arrive, but may include shelter, food, emotional support, basic first aid, comfort kits and referrals to other community services.

Donations can also be made by visiting slo-redcross.org. A $10 donation can be made by texting “Haiti” to 90999.

You can help the victims of countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. Donations to the International Response Fund can be sent to the San Luis Obispo County Chapter at 225 Prado Road, Suite A, San Luis Obispo, or to American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.slo-redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.