Chile Earthquake Update

March 10, 2010 — To respond to increasing needs following the Chile earthquake, the American Red Cross has doubled its pledge to $500,000 for relief operations and is providing 5,000 water-carrying cans from its warehouse in Panama to be distributed to those in need by the Chilean Red Cross.

The American Red Cross is providing relief supplies and financial support for Red Cross relief operations in Chile following the 8.8 magnitude earthquake on February 27 and is prepared to offer more assistance, if needed.
The American Red Cross has made a $500,000 commitment to Red Cross relief efforts in Chile following an appeal from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies.
We are also providing 5,000 water-carrying cans and 1,100 hygiene kits.
The Chilean Red Cross has 1,200 volunteers performing damage and needs assessments and distributing food, hygiene articles, blankets, and other relief items to survivors.
A five-member regional Red Cross team of disaster specialists, including one from the American Red Cross, is in Chile to provide technical support for Chilean Red Cross response activities and to perform damage assessments, emergency relief and communications support.
The global Red Cross network plans to support the Chilean Red Cross to provide shelter assistance, relief supplies, basic health care, and water and sanitation for 15,000 families for one year.

The American Red Cross financial pledge for Chile earthquake relief is in part made possible through foundation support to the International Response Fund, including those who give to the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). Contributors to the fund include American Express, General Motors Foundation, John Deere Foundation, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Morgan Stanley and State Street Foundation.

Meanwhile, the American Red Cross and other Red Cross societies from around the world continue to support relief operations in Haiti, where 1.9 million people have been helped since the January 12 earthquake in that country.

“As the largest humanitarian network in the world, the Red Cross has both the experience and the capacity to respond to multiple disasters at the same time,” Meltzer said. “We are supporting the Chilean Red Cross in their response to the earthquake while relief operations continue in Haiti.”

You can help the victims of countless crises, like the earthquakes in Chile and Haiti,  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. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation by either contacting 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish), or mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.