Extremely Active Hurricane Season Looms - American Red Cross Launches New Disaster Relief Fundraising Drive

/PRNewswire-/ -- The American Red Cross has launched a new fundraising drive in anticipation of a very active hurricane season that could be made even worse by the Gulf Coast oil spill.

"We are worried about predictions of a severe hurricane season and the possibility that people will need to evacuate their homes for longer periods of time, given the oil in the Gulf," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the Red Cross.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts three to seven major hurricanes this year. Major hurricanes are those Category 3, 4 and 5 storms that do the most damage -- such as Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina, Rita and Wilma -- with winds of more than 100 mph.

These predictions bear an eerie resemblance to the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, when multiple major hurricanes, including Katrina, struck the United States. More than 35 million people live in regions vulnerable to Atlantic Ocean hurricanes, and many in the Gulf Coast region are already experiencing hardship as a result of the oil spill.

In preparation for this hurricane season, the Red Cross has already spent $30 million training and preparing volunteers and pre-positioning equipment and materials and is gearing up to provide 1 million meals a day, shelter for 350,000 people a day and deployment of 50,000 volunteers.

"Practicing what we preach on preparedness, we are asking the public for their support in advance, rather than after a disaster strikes," said McGovern.

"Contributions to the fundraising drive will support our readiness to the 70,000 disasters the Red Cross responds to every year, whether they are hurricanes that affect millions of people, floods that affect thousands, or a house fire that drives one family from their home," added McGovern.

While media attention has focused on the Gulf oil spill and on Haiti, the American Red Cross has responded to 29 significant disasters in the U.S. so far this year. These have included floods in Tennessee, North Dakota, the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, tornadoes in the South and Midwest, and major fires in communities across the country.

As part of the new disaster response fundraising effort, kicked off just before the height of the hurricane season in August and September, the Red Cross is airing television ads, sending targeted fundraising appeals, using social media and making public appeals for disaster donations.

"Red Cross chapters across the country will be asking for help for disaster relief, and we hope people will respond," McGovern said. "Please click, text or call to donate to the Red Cross to help people affected by disasters. Every single donation brings hope to those in need."

People who want to make a contribution can go to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief -- or text REDCROSS to 90999.

The Red Cross spends about $450 million a year responding to nearly 70,000 disasters across the country -- floods, hurricanes, wildfires, tornados and home fires.

You can help people affected by disasters like floods, fires, tornadoes and hurricanes, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. Contributions may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

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10 Year Old Zack Bonner Walking 280 Miles For Homeless

Zach Bonner joined dozens of friends and family Friday morning to stomp out one of the state's most recent growing statistics: homelessness. Bonner's goal is to raise awareness and $35,000 to help shelter at least one family. And he's not stopping until he's reached his goal. Friday, Bonner will begin a 30-day walk to raise $35,000 for those in need by walking from Tallahassee to Atlanta. It's the second straight year Bonner has walked more than 200 miles to raise awareness of homeless kids. Last year, Bonner walked from Tampa to Tallahassee.

"A lot of people look at it as too big of a problem to solve, but I think if we just take one kid at a time, and help just one kid at a time, we can solve the problem," said Zach.

Helping others is nothing new for Bonner. Despite his young age, he's already volunteered more than 2,000 hours. He's also started his own non-profit foundation called the Little Red Wagon Foundation, and he's donated money and items to the victims of Hurricanes Charley and Katrina.

"I think it's just something in him. I think he was just born with it. Different people have different talents and I think this [helping others] is just his talent," said Zach's mom Laurie Bonner.

Zach says he hopes to walk about 10 miles a day and will spend each night in an RV donated by Lazy Days RV Center in Seffner, Florida. You can follow Zach's progress during his walk by clicking his ZACKTRACKER Zach expects to arrive in Atlanta on November 17th, which is also his birthday."You can't really practice too much. I mean, there's no way you're gonna be able to do 280 miles and not get tired," said Bonner.

Zach, his mom Laurie Bonner, and his friend Dylan Danforth pushed forward. "It's really rewarding 'cause you get a really good feeling whenever you know that you can help somebody else," said Bonner. Those words from a 10-year-old, who has a keen sense of direction... at least when it comes to helping others. "At least we can call somebody and tell them to look it up on our website and tell us where we are," said Bonner.

In case you're wondering how this 10-year-old is able to ditch classes for several weeks, he said he's enrolled in a virtual school that allows him to take classes online and on the road.

You Go Zack !!!!

The Home Depot Foundation Donates $1 Million to Hurricane Ike Recovery and Rebuilding Efforts

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Home Depot(R) Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Home Depot, today announced the donation of $1 million to the recovery and rebuilding efforts in response to Hurricane Ike. The funding will be used for three programs:

-- $200,000 to the American Red Cross for immediate recovery aid for Houston and the communities along the Gulf coast of Texas.

-- $100,000 in clean-up materials for locally organized, community volunteer efforts, including the activation of Team Depot, the Company's associate volunteer program.

-- $700,000 to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) for rebuilding efforts in communities affected by Hurricane Ike.

Separately, The Homer Fund, a charity for The Home Depot associates in need of emergency financial assistance, has begun helping associates and their families affected by Hurricane Ike. Volunteers from the Company activated The Homer Fund call center more than two weeks ago to assist associates with their urgent needs of safe housing and other daily essentials during this hurricane season. To date, The Homer Fund has granted approximately $1.1 million to more than 1,350 associates affected by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

"The devastation from Hurricane Ike is widespread and we are moving quickly to help the residents affected by the storm," said Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. "In addition to meeting the immediate needs of our associates and communities, we are also supporting the longer-term efforts by investing in organizations that will rebuild these communities in a healthy, sustainable way."

The Home Depot closed 53 stores in the Houston, Galveston and Beaumont area prior to Hurricane Ike making landfall. As of this morning, only 6 remain closed. In an effort to give affected associates the time they need to attend to personal matters following this storm, associates from other parts of the country are coming in to help staff the stores in the affected areas. Thus far, the Company has coordinated the transport and lodging for approximately 450 relief associates.

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The Home Depot Donates $300,000 to American Red Cross for Hurricane Relief and Preparation Efforts

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Home Depot(R), the world's largest home improvement retailer, today announced it has donated $300,000 to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Gustav relief efforts along the Gulf Coast and for preparation efforts for impending storms Hanna, Ike and Josephine throughout the Southeastern U.S.

"Our neighbors in the Gulf Coast need our help," said Jeff Towers, chief development officer at the American Red Cross. "The Home Depot responded to this call, enabling the Red Cross to provide care, comfort and compassion to the people affected by Hurricane Gustav and future storms. I want to thank The Home Depot Foundation for using the Red Cross as their conduit of compassion."

Separately, The Homer Fund, a charity for The Home Depot associates in need of emergency financial assistance, donated $500,000 to 650 associates and their families within the first 48 hours of Gustav's landfall. On Saturday, volunteers from the Company activated the Homer Fund call center to respond to and assist impacted associates with their immediate needs of safe housing and other daily essentials.

"I am extremely proud of The Home Depot and what our associates have done to help our communities, as well as each other," said Marvin Ellison, executive vice president of U.S. Stores. "We take great pride in being there for our communities during tough times, and we are committed to helping these recovery efforts."

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