Capital Area Chapter Red Cross Receives $30,000 Grant from Allstate Foundation

The Allstate Foundation in partnership with the local American Red Cross are assisting Big Bend community residents in getting prepared for potential disasters such as fires, tornadoes and hurricanes. A $30,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation will help fund the services of the Capital Area Chapter’s Catastrophe Preparedness and Response Program.

The program focuses on raising awareness amongst all age groups, specifically children, of how to plan, prepare for, react and recover from a multitude of disasters. Services of the program include the Fire Weather House, disaster preparedness classes, response to small fires and financial and health assistance.  In 2009, the program aided over 148,000 Big Bend citizens.

“We are grateful for The Allstate Foundation’s generosity and support of the Catastrophe Preparedness Response Program,” said Dan Samborn, CEO of the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. “The grant will allow us to continue initiatives, and services that have supplied the immediate and long term needs of our community members.”

Grant funds will help to continue the program’s disaster education initiatives for Big Bend’s school age children.  The “Fire Weather House”, a mobile trailer, fully equipped to demonstrate both Fire and Weather Safety, provides children with a stimulating and educational disaster training experience.

“Those touched by the ‘Fire Weather House’ will have the knowledge and information necessary to influence their families and communities to prepare themselves for natural disasters, and to prevent home fires, said Samborn. “We have already had a few instances where a child has escaped a fire due to the training that they received from us.”

“At Allstate, we believe in supporting programs that are going to better the lives of our neighbors, “ said Cathy Crowder, the Allstate Foundation Chair for the Florida Region. “We are honored to be partners with the Capital Area Chapter.”