American Red Cross Relief Fund: EMPTY

DONATE NOW Despite Depleted Funds, American Red Cross Helping Thousands Across Central U.S.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - As the rain-soaked Midwest continues to battle floodwaters from heavy storms, the American Red Cross is in its largest flood relief effort in nearly 15 years. From Kansas to West Virginia, more than 2,000 Red Cross workers are assisting people with vast amounts of clean up supplies, dozens of shelters and tens of thousands of meals.

The current relief operations follow two extremely busy months for the Red Cross, with more than 30 disaster operations since the beginning of April. Combined, these relief efforts have largely depleted the Disaster Relief Fund. Disaster victims need essential items right away, such as food, shelter relief supplies and mental health counseling. In order to respond, the Red Cross must have money available immediately. Without this fund, the American Red Cross must borrow money to cover disaster operating expenses.

"Right now the balance in our disaster relief fund is sitting close to zero," Laura Howe, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross, told ABCNEWS.com. "We anticipate that the series of tornadoes and floods that we've had since the beginning of April is going to cost our organization about $15 million."

For the first time since Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, the Red Cross may have no choice but to take out loans to cover the cost of relief efforts, Howe said, blaming the shortfall on an atypically high number of disasters across the U.S. this year.