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More Local Red Cross Volunteers Headed To Texas For Harvey Relief

American Red Cross
An American Red Cross volunteer at a shelter in Texas.

More than 30 volunteers and four emergency response vehicles from central and southern Illinois have already been deployed to Texas as part of the American Red Cross’ Harvey relief efforts.

The 38 volunteers are just the start. Many more volunteers are expected to travel to Texas from the American Red Cross Central and Southern Illinois, Red Cross spokesperson Trish Burnett said Monday.

“This really is the heart of our mission and the heart of what we all do,” she said. “This is going to go down as one of the largest disasters we’ve ever done. … It’s really all hands on deck.”

Harvey came ashore late Friday about 30 miles northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, as a Category 4 hurricane but has since been downgraded to a tropical storm. The slow-moving storm has caused catastrophic flooding in Texas.

Currently, the Red Cross volunteers are focused on sheltering and feeding displaced residents in Texas, which has been inundated by Hurricane (and now Tropical Storm) Harvey, Burnett said. Some are retirees who want to serve, others have full-time jobs but are taking vacation time, she said.

“These are amazing people,” Burnett said. “We will be sending many more volunteers and additional vehicles in the coming days and weeks.”

You can help people affected by Hurricane Harvey by visiting redcross.org, calling (800) RED CROSS or texting the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

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Ryan Denham is the digital content director for WGLT.
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