MEDIA ADVISORY
 

Date:	July 8, 2010
Media Contact:	Diane Concannon (office) 609.951.2116 (cell) 609.206.4043 concannond@usa.redcross.org

American Red Cross Holds 6-Month Press Briefing on Haiti
President and CEO to discuss successes, challenges and announce new partnerships on July 8 media call

The Haiti earthquake is one of the worst urban disasters in modern history. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, destroyed nearly 190,000 houses, killed more than 230,000 people and displaced 1.5 million men, women and children, forcing many families to resettle in more than 1,300 makeshift camps in and around Port-au-Prince. Since that time, aid organizations have worked around the clock to help millions of Haitians get the urgent care they need to get back on their feet.

On Thursday, July 8 at 11:00 a.m. EDT, Gail McGovern, the President and CEO of the American Red Cross, will host a teleconference to provide an update on the Red Cross work in Haiti and discuss the progress that has been made and the many challenges that remain six months after the earthquake. She will also announce new Red Cross initiatives to build semi-permanent or transitional shelters, strengthen the healthcare system and provide financial assistance to Haitian earthquake survivors.

The American Red Cross has video and photos available for download:

• Video: www.redcross.org/video
• Photos: http://media.redcross.org
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  Password: redcross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.