LOCAL AMERICAN RED CROSS LOW IN DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS

Funds are low at the Humboldt County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
 
"We need approximately $200,000, approximately a year," Executive Director Barbara Caldwell said.
 
She said that they're only pulling in about half that. 
 
"But we're lucky because we're a national organization,” Caldwell said. “So when we need the additional funds we can pull from other chapters."
 
She said that having local funds is better because disasters happen all the time in the area.

"When there's a fire in Humboldt County, we get the call and we're there with the resources," Caldwell said.

Philip Anderson is the Preparedness, Health and Safety Coordinator and adds that when a natural disaster happens in California, they're very spontaneous.
 
"The big disasters that are here are earthquakes, and the potential tsunami,” Anderson said. “So something like that is going to come out of nowhere."
 
And that having funds available helps alleviate the relief efforts. 
 
The American Red Cross generally does not except donations of goods because they like to keep things consistent.

 
"You know the money is allocated to whatever disaster is happening at that time,” Anderson said. “But there's disasters that happen everywhere—there's house fires that happen and even though they're small we still offer anywhere else in the country."
 
If a person wants their donation towards Humboldt County relief efforts, Caldwell said they honor donor intent.
 
"It’s always better when the community can support our basic needs," She said.