The American Red Cross encourages you to remember people in need during this holiday season by purchasing a gift from the
2011 Holiday Giving Catalog.
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Little Zariah Beckham, age 3, and her family sought refuge in a Red Cross shelter after the tornado that devastated Tuscaloosa, Ala., in late April.
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Catalog shoppers can support the Red Cross mission by choosing from a variety of symbolic gifts and purchasing them in honor of the people on their holiday list. Greeting cards let the person know they’ve been remembered with a gift to the Red Cross. Each purchase is a tax-deductible donation that helps support the Red Cross mission to provide relief and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
One such gift is a personal care kit, which provides a toothbrush, comb shampoo, soap, deodorant and other toiletries for someone whose life is changed by disaster. For families touched by hurricanes, fires and floods, these simple supplies can be a great treasure.
Nowhere was the need for help more evident than in Tuscaloosa, where a deadly tornado ripped through the city in late April. More than 1,000 people were hurt, with 43 receiving fatal injuries.
Thousands of those affected looked to the Red Cross for a safe place to stay, food to eat, and emotional support as they recovered and planned next steps. Most lost everything they owned and were forced to start over. One such family was the Beckhams, who were grateful to the Red Cross for their help and support. Little Zariah Beckham enjoyed playing with the volunteers and listening to an impromptu sing-along at the shelter.
Red Cross nurses took care of minor injuries and helped people replace lost items such as eyeglasses and medicines. Those staying at Red Cross shelters received meals, emotional support, first aid and basic health care. Many also received lots of hugs, which can be the most important Red Cross assistance of all.
At the height of the Red Cross response in Alabama, volunteers opened shelters, distributed thousands of meals and relief supplies and offered first aid and counseling to those affected. More than 60 Red Cross emergency response vehicles fanned out across the state to help the residents of Alabama.
Gifts purchased through the Red Cross
2011 Holiday Giving Catalog are tax-deductible contributions to the overall Red Cross mission. Items are symbolic of the work of the Red Cross, not a donation to a specific project or item.
Free Red Cross vintage water bottles will go to anyone giving a minimum of $100. Those giving a minimum of $200 will receive a vintage messenger bag, and for a minimum of $300, people will receive a Red Cross family first aid kit.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org. 
