Residents affected by tornadoes can now call Red Cross hotline for help

The American Red Cross now has a hotline to help residents affected by the Memorial Day tornadoes.

Residents seeking assistance can call 844-810-5844 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There will also be several Miami Valley Tornadoes Disaster Assistance events at the Dayton Metro Library, 215 E. Third St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday until June 15, except it will be from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 9. Red Cross caseworkers will be there to discuss needs and eligibility for assistance.

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The hotline is to help facilitate the process of meeting with a caseworker to discuss needs and eligibility for assistance.

Caseworkers connect one-on-one with people to create recovery plans, navigate paperwork and located help from other agencies.

In some situations, Red Cross may provide direct financial support to people who need extra help.

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485 Red Cross volunteers and staff have been providing help and hope to residents of Montgomery, Greene, Miami, Darke and Mercer counties.

Red Cross has provided:

• 1,069 overnight shelter stays
• 8,000 meals
• 11,000 snacks
• 1,391 comfort kits
• 1,843 disaster kits
• 1,938 other disaster items
• 6,945 items to aid in debris cleanup (rakes, tarps, trash bags)

You can help people affected by donating to Red Cross Disaster Relief at redcross.org or call 1-800-Red-Cross.