As the tragedy in Japan continues to unfold, with the body count growing daily and more and more people facing long periods of time without heat, food or clean water, the American Red Cross would like to remind the public about opportunities to help by giving.
According to Pam Knapp-Carver, Blytheville's Red Cross executive director, Japan has a highly developed division of the Red Cross International, and at this point, the American Red Cross is focusing its energies on fundraising so that the local branches can afford to do their work.
"The American Red Cross has sent a management team to Japan," said Carver, "but we are mostly focusing on raising money."
Since Friday's disaster, the Japanese Red Cross, which is currently operating with 2 million volunteers, has distributed relief items and hot meals, assisted with the clearing of debris, provided medical transportation, and dispatched 95 medical teams, comprised of 700 doctors and nurses. They have opened approximately 2,000 emergency shelters, and handed out 46,000 blankets.
The need, even after all of this work, is still great, and the Japanese Red Cross needs more funds to make it happen, according to Carver.
Anyone wishing to donate can visit arkansasredcross.org or redcross.org, or visit the local chapter office at 630 W. Walnut in Blytheville. Anyone with a cell phone can also donate $10 at a time by texting the words "Red Cross" to 90999. This amount will be added to monthly cell phone bills.
sharris@blythevillecourier.com