SEBRING, FL (July 1, 2008 ) — American Red Cross volunteers helped a mother and five children Tuesday after fire destroyed their home in downtown Sebring.
Volunteers with the American Red Cross in Highlands County received word of the fire at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The children were going to stay with their grandmother, so volunteers provided the mother with temporary shelter and a comfort kit (personal hygiene kit). They also provided the family with emergency assistance for food and clothing, Publix cards donated by Florida’s Blood Centers, and landlord verification forms to assist in relocation.
Volunteers also referred the family to The Salvation Army and to Samaritan’s Touch Clinic for additional assistance, if needed, as part of their follow-up casework and partnership with the United Way of Central Florida.
This has been a busy service year for the American Red Cross in Highlands County. In the last 12 months, the service center has helped approximately 36 families affected by local disasters — most of them single-home and apartment fires — more than double the number from the previous year.
