By Patricia Kemp, Communications Manager, American Red Cross
Seven-year-old Karlie snuggled in close to her dad, Wade
Freeman, under blankets as hard rain pounded on the roof of the United
Methodist Church. Firefighters bussed the family to the Red Cross shelter when
their North Charleston mobile home community flooded.
“It’s going to be a very rough ride,” Wade said. “But some
things bring families together.”
Wade told Karlie and her brothers to pack a few things. She
chose one of her favorite princess books, and for a little while the father and
daughter escaped to a fantasy land where there’s always a happy ending.
Yet, this is no fairy tale for Karlie and the thousands of
children impacted by flooding in South Carolina. Having to evacuate their home
and leave their toys behind to go to an unfamiliar place can be confusing and
frightening for a small child.
It’s times like these when families need comforting and help shows
up in a red vest. Since the flooding began, Red Cross volunteers opened 30
shelters accommodating nearly 2,700 overnight stays in towns from the
Lowcountry to Upstate offering a warm, dry place to sleep and hot meals to eat.
Many times volunteers come prepared with stuffed animals, toys and
activities, which can bring a sense of security to little ones. It’s those
small touches that help children feel safe and loved in the real
world.
HOW TO HELP
After
a major disaster, financial donations are the quickest and best way to get help
to the people who need it most. You can help people affected by disasters like
the flooding in South Carolina and countless other crises by making a donation
to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS
or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Your gift helps
provide food, shelter and more to those affected by disasters.
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