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

On Saturday, June 7, the Monroe County Chapter opened an emergency shelter at the Spencer Elementary School on 151 E. Hillside. Since that time the shelter has housed and fed those who were evacuated from their homes due to rising waters, and also fed emergency workers who worked around the clock to rescue so many people caught in their homes due to the flooding. The Red Cross is asking anyone who needs assistance in Owen County to come to the shelter to register, get fed or sheltered if they need it, or to check on relatives who were brought to the shelter. Starting Tuesday, June 10, 2008, residents in Owen County who want to begin cleaning up their homes but don’t have the tools to do so may go to the Red Cross shelter to pick up free clean up kits consisting of mops, brooms, and sponges.

In Monroe County, the Red Cross is helping those whose residences were damaged by flooding. Anyone in Monroe County in need of emergency assistance due to flooding can call the Chapter at (812) 332-7292 to report their damage.

We cannot accept donations of clothing or other materials for disaster victims, but we are referring those in need of clothing, household or personal items in Spencer to the St. Marks Mission Store, 95 W. Franklin Street. Call (812) 829-0986 for more information.

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Central Indiana Tornado and Floods, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation. Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be designated to the Monroe Chapter of the American Red Cross, 411E. 7th, Bloomington IN 47408. Contributions can also be made by calling (812) 332-7292 or by visiting www.monroe-redcross.org, and click on Donation page.