|
Toys"R"Us and Scholastic Donate Supplies to Help Families Seeking Shelter from Hurricane Ike
Save the Children distributing thousands of diapers, portable cribs, books and other emergency supplies to babies and children in Texas evacuation centers
WESTPORT, Conn. (Sept. 13, 2008) — Bolstered by generous donations from Toys"R"Us, Inc. and Scholastic, Save the Children is providing assistance to thousands of Texas families forced from their homes by Hurricane Ike, which is rapidly becoming one of the most destructive storms to hit the state in years. An estimated 4 million people are without power after 110 mile-an-hour winds and heavy rains pounded the Texas coastline and metro Houston area.
 |
During Hurricane Ike, Toys"R"Us delivered cribs, diapers and other emergency supplies, which Save the Children distributed to families living in shelters throughout San Antonio. |
In cooperation with the American Red Cross, Save the Children is working in shelters throughout San Antonio to meet the basic needs of infants, toddlers and older children who arrived by the thousands during the night.
The agency is distributing 500 portable cribs and 50,000 diapers and baby wipes donated by Toys"R"Us to provide safe, comfortable environments for infants and toddlers living in the shelters. Save the Children is also distributing more than 3,200 "My Time" activity kits and 1,000 children's books, donated by Scholastic. The activity kits contain books for children ages 5-12 and resources for families dealing with trauma and relocation.
In addition to distributing supplies, Save the Children creates Safe Spaces for children living in the evacuation shelters. Safe Spaces are designed to let children be children, even in the midst of a crowded emergency shelter, and include a supervised area filled with toys, art supplies, books and games.
"This is a very frightening experience for children, who will be displaced from their homes for days or even weeks," said Kate Dischino, who is leading Save the Children's emergency response team in Texas. "Our support provides a safe and comforting area for children within the shelters, and allows parents to register for emergency services and prepare for their return home."
 |
Hurricane Ike evacuee Luz, age 1, plays in a crib provided by Save the Children as her mother and brother look on at a shelter in San Antonio, Texas. Sept.12, 2008. Photo by Alicia Wagner Calzada. |
"These donations are vital for the continued relief efforts of Save the Children and we truly value our relationship with Toys"R"Us and Scholastic," said Mark K. Shriver, Vice President and Managing Director of U.S Programs for Save the Children. "Children have unique needs following a natural disaster that go beyond the basic necessities of food and shelter. Save the Children works to protect children physically and emotionally and our success would not be possible without the support of dedicated partners like Toys"R"Us and Scholastic who respond with urgency when disaster strikes."
Toys"R"Us has designated Save the Children as one of its primary partners in situations where children need urgent assistance as a result of large-scale disasters. Earlier this month, the fund donated a generous number of diapers and baby cribs to Louisiana residents displaced by Hurricane Gustav. Toys”R”Us and Save the Children have also collaborated in the past to aid in tsunami relief and reconstruction efforts in Southeast Asia and to help victims of the Southern California wildfires, tornadoes in Arkansas and Tennessee, and the Midwest Floods.
How You Can Help
Donate to the Hurricane Ike Children in Crisis Fund
Save the Children is responding to the immediate and long-term needs of children in Texas by helping them prepare for and recover from Hurricane Ike. Your donation will help us provide emergency supplies, such as diapers, wipes and portable cribs and help us set up the agency's signature Safe Spaces program to ensure the safety and well-being of children who have been evacuated to shelters.
Donate to the U.S. Emergencies Fund
You can help Save the Children make a difference in the lives of children affected by disasters in the United States. By contributing to the U.S. Emergencies Fund, you enable us to serve children through disaster planning, preparedness, response and recovery work. With your help, Save the Children has responded to the needs of children impacted by the massive evacuation of families from the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Gustav, the recent flooding in the Midwest, the wildfires in California as well as our ongoing work in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
How to Talk to Your Kids about Disasters: 10 Tips
# # #
Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change for children in the United States and in more than 50 countries around the world. For more than 75 years, the agency has been helping children survive and thrive by improving their health, education and economic opportunities and, in times of acute crisis, mobilizing assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters.
