Volunteers rush to aid Texan Ike victims
Volunteers and aid agencies are still rushing to Texas to aid tens of thousands who lack food, water, ice and electricity in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.
More than 30,000 refugees are still living in public shelters.
The American Red Cross National Headquarters sent out a request Monday for 1,000 additional volunteers.
"We don't have enough volunteers," said Charles Vose, who has been with the Fort Worth Red Cross for two weeks. "Some of them are on their third or fourth disaster relief. They've been here for two months and haven't seen their families. They're exhausted."
Normally, volunteers serve a two- to three-week commitment at disaster relief sites, often working 16 hour days. The Red Cross has opened 174 shelters that are housing more than 20,000 people and counting.
Ike's survivors have already walked for miles and waited for hours at supply centers, which distributed one million bottles of water, one million meals and 600,000 pounds of ice in just the first 36 hours after the storm passed.
The Red Cross says that people who cannot travel can help out locally by donating blood, working at a call center or by volunteering for local disaster relief. Also, any cash donations would be helpful.
More than 30,000 refugees are still living in public shelters.
The American Red Cross National Headquarters sent out a request Monday for 1,000 additional volunteers.
"We don't have enough volunteers," said Charles Vose, who has been with the Fort Worth Red Cross for two weeks. "Some of them are on their third or fourth disaster relief. They've been here for two months and haven't seen their families. They're exhausted."
Normally, volunteers serve a two- to three-week commitment at disaster relief sites, often working 16 hour days. The Red Cross has opened 174 shelters that are housing more than 20,000 people and counting.
Ike's survivors have already walked for miles and waited for hours at supply centers, which distributed one million bottles of water, one million meals and 600,000 pounds of ice in just the first 36 hours after the storm passed.
The Red Cross says that people who cannot travel can help out locally by donating blood, working at a call center or by volunteering for local disaster relief. Also, any cash donations would be helpful.
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