Copyright 2009

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News

April 5, 2009 Sunday

STATE AND REGIONAL NEWS

20090405-DN-Disaster-services-get-20,000-grant-0405

422 words

Wayne Laepple, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.

Apr. 5--MILTON -- The American Red Cross of Upper Northumberland County will receive a $20,000 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation to increase disaster response supplies and improve disaster response capability.

Specifically, the funds will be used to recruit and train disaster workers and responders in an effort to improve disaster services. The Upper Northumberland Chapter is one of 128 Red Cross chapters awarded funds as part of the Wal-Mart Foundation's initiative to support disaster response and capacity building projects nationwide.

"Receiving the Wal-Mart grant is a wonderful benefit to our chapter. It will enable us to provide programs and services to our communities not before possible," said Tom Szulanczyk, chapter executive director.

The Wal-Mart Foundation and the American Red Cross have created a $5 million Disaster Readiness and Capacity Building Grant Program. This grant will benefit communities across the country that reside near Red Cross chapters located in remote areas that often become isolated during times of disaster and whose chartered jurisdictions serve less than one million people -- like Upper Northumberland County.

The grant will be used to purchase cots, blankets and other mass care supplies. It will also provide funding for disaster preparedness training and volunteer recruitment.

The Wal-Mart officials said the foundation is ready to help and to work with local leaders, community organizations and elected officials in the instance of a disaster. With a long-standing commitment to supporting local disaster relief efforts, the Wal-Mart Foundation works with the American Red Cross and other organizations in an effort to help its neighbors and communities during times of need.

"We are appreciative to the Wal-Mart Foundation for this much needed grant to enhance our local chapters' ability to serve their communities," said Michael Brown, vice president of corporate and foundation partnerships at the American Red Cross. "Because of their generous support, we will be better positioned to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters in communities across the country."

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April 6, 2009