SEAFORD, DE – June 26, 2006 – Area businesses and community organizations are being requested to be on standby to help with food and beverages to help the Red Cross assist families evacuated from their homes yesterday after major flooding in Sussex county. Last night, 35 people spent the night at a Red Cross disaster shelter at Woodbridge High School in Bridgeville, with the possibility of more families turning to the shelter for help today, if their homes remain inaccessible or without power. As soon as access to the areas is possible, the Red Cross will assess the need to do mobile feeding and will need assistance from the community.

Local businesses or organizations who would like to make a large-scale donation of food or beverages – or a monetary donation – to help the flood victims, can register with Betsy Tuttle at (302) 472-6262. To avoid wastage, PLEASE DO NOT BRING FOOD TO A RED CROSS LOCATION UNLESS YOU HAVE PRE-SCHEDULED IT WITH A RED CROSS STAFFER.

“The scope of this disaster is still unfolding,” said Margi Prueitt, Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula. “In addition to providing a safe place to stay, out of harm’s way, at the Red Cross shelter in Bridgeville, families who have gone back to their homes and are in the process of dealing with flood damage can turn to the Red Cross for meals, beverages and clean-up kits. We are grateful to our many community partners, including DEMA, the Sussex County Emergency Management and the Salvation Army for their help in assisting all those whose homes have been damaged by this major flooding. Additionally, Red Cross will draw on the assistance of our sister chapter, the American Red Cross, Lower Shore Chapter in Salisbury, Maryland, who will send additional experienced volunteers and vehicles to help increase the speed of our response.”

Individuals and families affected by this flooding emergency should call the American Red Cross for assistance at 1-800-777-6620.

Yesterday, the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula opened another Red Cross disaster shelter at Hurlock Elementary School in Dorchester County, MD, and supported a community shelter for more than 40 people at the Federalsburg Volunteer Fire Hall, run by Caroline County and the City of Federalsburg. These shelters were closed by 6:00pm when the affected families returned to their homes.

For more information on flood safety.

This major community disaster comes while your local Red Cross is responding to an apartment fire at Admirals Club affecting 11 families in Newark, DE and just weeks after two building emergencies in Wilmington. Between 35 and 90 people left homeless by the apartment fire and flood on May 30th took refuge in a Red Cross shelter that was open for almost 3 weeks at an estimated cost to Red Cross of $60,000. Since the Red Cross is not a government agency and is not federally funded, it relies on donations from the public in order to provide its critical emergency services to those in need. Individuals and businesses are urged to donate generously to the Red Cross Local Disaster Relief Fund to help all those affected by disasters in our community.

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. To help the victims of this and other local disasters, contributions may be made by mail to the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula, P. O. Box 831, Wilmington, DE 19899-0831 or by calling 1-800-777-6620 during office hours.