When disaster strikes, the American Red Cross is there to help. Last year, the Northeast Florida Chapter provided emergency disaster assistance to more than 500 families when they needed it most, no matter when the call came. Red Cross volunteers and staff are poised to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting people's immediate emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, health and mental health services to address basic human needs. In addition to these services, the core of Red Cross disaster relief is the assistance given to individuals and families to enable them to resume their normal daily activities independently.

The Red Cross also feeds and hydrates emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members and provides access to other available resources for recovery.