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PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Click here to find out about upcoming Programs and Services
Emergency Services
For many years, the Coles and Clark County Branch Office has been proud to serve as Central Illinois’ most crucial, non-governmental provider of Emergency Services, including Disaster Relief and Armed Forces Emergency Services.
Disaster Relief
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The number one priority of the American Red Cross is to provide disaster relief to individuals, families and communities who have been affected by disasters including, but not limited to: fires, tornadoes, floods, winter storms and terrorist activity. During disasters, our primary function is to minimize loss, comfort victims and help them restart their lives by providing basic necessities, to include food, clothing, temporary shelter, first-aid and mental-health counseling. The Red Cross also provides assistance including food and respite services for emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, and helps those affected by disaster to access other available resources, if necessary.
On average, the American Red Cross, Illinois Capital Area Chapter responds to a disaster every other day; providing direct financial assistance to hundreds of individuals and families each year.
Red Cross disaster assistance is available to all residents in the Illinois Capital Area Chapter's jurisdiction (Christian, Logan, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery and Sangamon Counties) who have been affected by disaster and the responding emergency workers. Families that are highest at risk for disasters are the members of the community who are low-income and/or suffer other disadvantages. The affected families find themselves facing a sudden and uncontrollable loss of belongings, their home, and other items, and are often unable to ensure the minimum physical necessities of life. Through Red Cross assistance, we are able to keep the families intact and afloat until they are able to recover, so as not to force the family into a state of homelessness or devastation from which they may not recover. Families without financial resources like insurance; cash reserves or family support systems are most likely to utilize the disaster assistance of the Red Cross.
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Armed Forces Emergency Services
In addition to disaster services, the Emergency Services program addresses the needs of military family emergencies through the Chapter’s Armed Forces Emergency Services Program (AFES). The Red Cross is chartered by the United States Congress to act as a communications medium between military personnel and their families; however receives no governmental funding for the program. The United States Armed Forces recognizes the American Red Cross emergency messages as the verifying source of an individual crisis in a military member’s family. This information enables commanders to make informed decisions regarding emergency leave when a military family faces crises such as death, critical illness, financial problems or birth. The American Red Cross is the ONLY agency that can provide emergency communications for military members and their families.
For more information about the Red Cross Emergency Services program, please call
(217) 787-7602.
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