How Sandra helped the Williams family find comfort and hope

During Hurricane Idalia, the Williams family found hope and comfort with the Red Cross. [American Red Cross]( [Sandra Hayes, Emergency Shelter Manager with Tizlealia Williams, resident of Hahira, Georgia during Hurricane Idalia, 2023]( {NAME}, Whenever disasters hit Georgia, it’s Sandra’s job to ensure that all shelter residents receive comfort and care in her town of Hahira. And when she’s not a Shelter Manager, Sandra is a jack of all trades. She’s also a Blood Donor Ambassador and a member of the Disaster Action Team. In her words, her mission is simple: She’s “helping people that need help.” Sandra sees her work as giving back for the help she received as a child. When she was young, her family lost their house to a fire — but the American Red Cross was there to help. She remembers a Red Cross volunteer handing out four teddy bears to her and her siblings, offering much-needed hope and strength in that dark and confusing time. [Give now to power the disaster relief work of Red Crossers like Sandra through disasters like hurricanes, home fires and tornadoes.]( When Hurricane Idalia hit Hahira, the Williams family — Kimberly and her daughter, Tizlealia — were amongst many caught off guard by the destruction. As trees cracked and fell around them, Kimberly tried to call for help — only to find her phone out of service. Soon after, the family lost water and electricity, spoiling the food in their fridge. Luckily, they found their way to a Red Cross shelter, where they found safety, warmth and a special volunteer named Sandra. Right away, Sandra made Tizlealia’s safety and comfort her first priority. With a warm smile, she replaced Tizlealia’s soaked socks with fresh ones. She made sure that she had everything she and her mother needed to be comfortable — including a big hug for Tizlealia. The Red Cross responds to an average of 65,000 disasters every year, where compassionate Red Crossers like Sandra help bring hope and strength to families like the Williams. And it’s all powered by kind, generous people like you. With disasters growing more frequent and intense, we’ve set a goal to raise $50,000 by Wednesday at midnight to continue this vital work in the months ahead. [So, please: Will you give now to help us deliver lifesaving relief to those impacted by disasters like hurricanes, home fires and tornadoes? With your help, we can offer a helping hand to families like the Williams everywhere.]( [GIVE HELP]( Thank you for being a vital part of our community, [Your Friends at the American Red Cross] [Subscribe]( | [Contact Us]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in Browser]( Staying in touch via the American Red Cross email list is the best way we have of keeping in regular contact with supporters like you, letting you know about how you can protect yourself and your loved ones from disasters and other emergencies, and how you can support our life-saving work. [Click here]( to unsubscribe from our list, but please know that if you leave, it will be harder for you to stay involved with the Red Cross and continue the work of which you’ve been such a critical part. It is only because of supporters like you that the Red Cross is able to respond when a disaster strikes or a home is impacted by fire, when someone needs CPR or a lifesaving blood transfusion, or when a family needs to contact a deployed service member in an emergency. And we don’t want to lose you! Thanks for your support! Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address. © [2024 American Red Cross]( | 431 18th Street NW Washington DC 20006 Donate by phone: 1-800-RED CROSS(1-800-733-2767) | [Donate by Mail]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Twitter]( [Help people]( affected by disasters big and small. [BBB Accredited Charity] [Seal of Transparency - 2022 Platinum]( [90¢] The Red Cross is proud that an average of 90 cents of every dollar we spend is invested in delivering care and comfort to those in need.