|
Case Statement
SB County Chapter 2006/07 Clara Barton Community
Support Campaign
What if…
…a child chokes on a piece of cake during a birthday party...
…a loved one falls into Red Rock swimming hole during a family
picnic…
…a co-worker suddenly has a heart attack...
…a kitchen fire leaves you homeless…
…a family must contact their military son immediately?
Fortunately you can count on the American Red Cross, Santa Barbara
County Chapter to help you respond to emergencies like these. We’ll be
there to offer food, shelter, supplies, support, counseling, training or
emergency communications.
People helping people. That is the American Red Cross. Since 1892,
your local Chapter has served Santa Barbara County by providing relief
to victims of disasters and helping people prevent, prepare for and
respond to emergencies. We are guided by the Red Cross core principles
of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service,
unity and universality, and by a vision to serve as a beacon of hope in
a time of crisis.
Last year, through our offices in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and
Lompoc, we helped more than 30,000 people with services that saved lives
and averted tragedies throughout the county. The American Red Cross is
not a government agency and depends solely on generous donations of the
American people.
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Disaster Response – Whenever and Wherever We Are Needed
 Disasters come in all sizes – from wildfires, floods and earthquakes
that impact thousands of people, to an apartment fire that devastates
only one person or family. The Red Cross is the foremost provider of
disaster relief for people in adverse situations of all magnitudes.
Our 14 local Disaster Action Teams are on call 24/7 to respond to
emergencies throughout the county. These trained volunteers pride
themselves in being among the first to arrive at the scene. And usually
they are the last to leave. On-site, they provide food, clothing,
shelter, financial support and other help to victims. Our contact with
the victims continues until all their emergency needs are met.
Responding on average to one emergency a week, the Santa Barbara
County Chapter assisted nearly 300 individuals left homeless from
single-family home fires and flooding during the past year. We:
- Provided immediate emergency relief (warm meals, new clothing, a
safe place to stay) to 48 families devastated by local disasters,
plus over 100 affected by floods.
- Reached over 15,000 people with Disaster Preparedness
Information.
- Distributed fire safety materials door-to-door to more than
1,500 homes in wildfire risk areas and to over 1,000 at-risk seniors
and people with disabilities.
 We also deployed over 220 locally trained Disaster Volunteers to
assist Red Cross Relief Efforts after hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma
last fall.
In emergency situations, we counsel victims, handle inquiries from
concerned family members outside the disaster area and provide referrals
to an array of recovery resources. In addition, we offer long- term
recovery assistance when other resources are either inadequate or
unavailable.
We don’t just wait for disasters to happen. Our Emergency Services
volunteers and staff actively educate people throughout the county about
how to prepare themselves and their loved ones when disaster strikes.
Recent polls show that two-thirds of American families do not have the
supplies they need in an emergency.
Locally, our Chapter has a strong and close working relationship with
the fire and police and other emergency responders. In the recent past,
we took part in six emergency multi-agency training drills to improve
the County’s readiness to respond to Terrorism, Hazardous Materials,
Earthquake, Aircraft and Brush Fire Incidents. We are ready whenever we
are needed.
All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, and only made possible by
voluntary gifts of time and money from people like you.
Safety & Preparedness Training Classes
 Our Safety & Preparedness classes teach critical skills that enable your
family, friends and neighbors to save lives when those closest to them
need them most. In fact, the Red Cross has been the most trusted name in
safety and preparedness training for more than 90 years.
During the past year, over 10,000 Santa Barbara County residents learned
Red Cross First Aid and CPR. More than 2,200 were taught Lifeguarding
and Water Safety Fundamentals.
An additional 257 attended our classes in Child Care and Babysitting
Skills. And scores of others attended our Pet First Aid and other
emergency preparedness classes.
We are also the premier provider of Workplace Safety Training.
Last year we taught life-saving skills to over 660
employees of Santa Barbara County businesses. These courses can be
tailored to the specific needs of your company and fulfill OSHA
requirements.
Volunteers
Our Chapter has over 1,600 volunteers. They are the life force of the
Red Cross and come from all walks of life. Our programs and services
depend on their dedicated support.
Our volunteers participate on local and national disaster response
teams, teach First Aid, CPR, Water Safety, Babysitting and other safety
courses, assist us with educational outreach throughout the county and
so much more.
 Programs for Youth
Our Youth Programs focus on fostering leadership development and
teaching personal safety and disaster preparedness skills to young
people ages 12-24.
We sponsor an American Red Cross Club at the University of California,
Santa Barbara, a Red Cross Club on Vandenberg Air Force Base and Red
Cross Clubs at 10 high schools throughout Santa Barbara County. These
clubs help build character and other life skills that encourage and
enable our young people to become our community leaders of tomorrow.
Help for America’s Military Separated from Their Families
The Red Cross has a long and distinguished history of providing
aid to the Armed Forces. Our Chapter works with military personnel and
their families at Vandenberg Air Force Base and elsewhere throughout the
county. We help with emergency communications, health and welfare
inquiries, referrals, advocacy,
humanitarian reassignment and emergency financial assistance.
During the last year our local efforts eased the pain of separation,
solved family dilemmas and brought a touch of home to over 190 military
personnel in the field.
International Services – Part of the Bigger Picture
 The Santa Barbara County Red Cross Chapter is part of a global network
of more than 800 chapters throughout the United States and national
societies in 175 countries. During war, conflict or natural disaster,
our Chapter works through this global Red Cross network to provide
relief, locate missing loved ones, help exchange family messages and
assist in reuniting families.
This international network went into high gear, raising $1.2 billion and
providing Red Cross relief assistance to more than two million survivors
of the Tsunami.
In addition, the American Red Cross is leading a U.S.-based partnership
that is promoting measles vaccination in Africa. Measles is the leading
cause of vaccine-preventable death among African children. Since 2001,
through the Measles Initiative, we have vaccinated 150 million children
in 33 countries, preventing an estimated 500,000 deaths.
We Use Your Donations Wisely
All of our financial support comes from donations from individual
donors, businesses and foundations – people like you.
Red Cross fundraising costs are unusually low. In fact, we have one of
the best records of any charity.
By keeping administrative costs to an absolute minimum, we can direct
funds where they can do the most good.
Clara Barton Community Support Campaign
The Red Cross is unique in its mission of helping people prevent,
prepare for and respond to disasters and other emergencies. We are a
guiding hand in a time of crisis and a trusted friend to those in need.
Our services are essential to the well-being of all who live and work in
Santa Barbara County.
While we can’t prevent disasters, we can increase the readiness to
respond quickly. That’s why our Board of Directors has set a goal of
$200,000 for the 2006/07 Santa Barbara County Red Cross Chapter Clara
Barton Community Support Campaign.
Ambitious! You bet. Needed? Absolutely!
Please help us reach this goal now. With your generous
assistance, we can extend the hand of human compassion to those in need
and benefit everyone who lives or works in Santa Barbara County.
Where the Money Goes
 When
you give to the Red Cross, your help goes where it’s needed most: to
relieve human suffering. Our programs include disaster relief, emergency
preparedness training, First Aid and CPR classes, life guarding and
water safety fundamentals, youth services, emergency liaison with
military
personnel and much, much more.
The Santa Barbara County Chapter has been providing emergency and
safety services to the County since 1892. You can count on us. Can we
count on you?
- It costs $100 per night at a local motel for a family of four
whose house has burned.
- It costs $25 to supply five blankets at an emergency shelter or
provide 10 “Comfort Kits” (with toothbrushes, toothpaste, washcloth,
soap and shampoo).
- It costs $120 to train a student to become an instructor in
water safety techniques.
- It costs $400 for a manikin used in a CPR class.
- It costs $150 to house and feed 14 disaster victims in a Red
Cross shelter for one day.
- It costs $2,000 to provide the first month’s rent and/or
security deposit and utility deposit for a family made homeless by a
flood, house fire or mudslide.
- It costs $750 to provide clothing, shoes, toilet articles and
groceries for a family of four for one week.
- It costs $175 for a dog manikin and $60 for a cat manikin for
Pet First Aid.
- It costs $50 to provide casework and 24-hour emergency
communication services between a military service member and his or
her family.
Together We Prepare!!
|
