The American Red Cross is continuing to operate shelters in Freeport and Thomson.  These shelters are meeting the immediate shelter and feeding needs of individuals affected by flooding in the area. 

As individuals arrive at the shelter, they are met by a team of volunteers who offer them food and drink and gather information.  Families are provided a place to sleep and three meals a day.  The number of individuals in the shelters changes frequently as families come and go.  Families like Ketina’s who was in Chicago at a family reunion and receive calls, texts and pictures from friends in town who informed her of the rising flood waters.  Ketina has only been in her home for a few years and it has never flooded before, so she came back, unsure if she would be able to get in her home.  The police had blocked her street and she was unable to get in her home, but she knows that it has been flooded.  She came to the Red Cross shelter, looking for a place to stay.  As her daughters who are 14 and 11 sit and talk about their fun weekend swimming and visiting with family in Chicago, the basement of the First Lutheran Church seems a stark contrast.  But the girls have found coloring books and games and Ketina says she is happy that everyone has been so welcoming and helpful.  They leave for the day with a referral to get clothing from the Freeport Area Church Cooperative and plan to come back to stay the night at the shelter. 

You can help people affected by disasters like floods, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, earthquakes, and countless crises at home and around the world by making a donation to Disaster Relief.  This can be done by going to www.redcross.org, texting REDCROSS to 90999 or sending a check to your local chapter.                                                    

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross provides relief to victims of disasters at home and abroad, collects and distributes nearly half of the nation's blood supply, teaches lifesaving skills, and supports military members and families. The American Red Cross, a charity and not a government agency, depends on voluntary contributions of time, money and blood to perform its humanitarian mission.  For more information, please contact the American Red Cross at (309) 743-2166 or visit www.qcredcross.org