“When severe flooding began to impact areas of Northern West Virginia in July of 2017, American Red Cross volunteers did what they were trained to do – respond to the needs of those in near hopeless situations. Through two back to back weekends of rain deluge, those affected in six Northern West Virginia counties were given safe shelter, food and assistance to aid their recovery. One case had a direct connection to the United Way. A family home in McMechen was impacted by water and mud during both rain events. The family was unable to live in the house while cleanup took place. The United Way director George Smoulder and I were on an observation tour of the affected area and stopped to speak with this family. Red Cross had provided hotel lodging and financial assistance for other needs to this family. In speaking with the wife, she stated that when both she and her husband were employed, they participated in payroll deduction to United Way, but now in retirement they were unable to do that and instead had to rely on agencies like the Red Cross to help them. I explained that what goes around comes around as Red Cross is a United Way agency and that now it was their “turn” to be helped after they had helped others for so many years. She was very grateful for all we had done for her and her sick husband through the flooding.”
– American Red Cross