National Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet Member Raven Symone
Helps Families Prepare for Emergencies

Newton, NJ, June 24, 2010 — Wouldn’t it be great if we knew exactly when and where natural disasters and emergencies would happen? That way, we could have plenty of time to get ready, grab important supplies and documents, call our family and friends and tell them our plans, or hunker down and wait for everything to return to normal… Unfortunately, emergencies just don’t happen like that, which is why it’s so important to make sure that you’re always ready no matter when they happen. It’s important to do more than cross your fingers!  Raven Symone, a Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet Member, Red Cross volunteer and Atlanta native, says she has “experienced one too many emergencies, from floods to tornadoes” and understands the importance of being prepared for life’s emergencies. So, she has teamed up with the Red Cross and Clorox to help you and your family, learn how easy it can be to get prepared.

Symone invites everyone to download the “Adventures in Being Prepared” activity book that she, the Red Cross, and Clorox have created. The book has lots of great preparedness tips and fun activities for you and your family, and she walks readers through three steps in the book that can help make a big difference.  Symone is the main character in the activity booklet which is currently featured on the Clorox e-journal SimpleAndSurprising.com. For every activity booklet downloaded through June 30, Clorox will donate $1 to the Red Cross. The promotion is nearly over, so be sure to spread the word and download your copies today!

Additionally, your local Red Cross offers “Be Red Cross Ready”, a one hour program (including time for questions/answers) to clubs, groups, and corporations which explains the three basic preparedness actions that can better prepare you for a variety of disasters, from a power outage to a hurricane! The program can be presented at your location or at Red Cross Headquarters on Spring Street in Newton. Contact Lauri at 973-579-1600 to schedule today! 

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.sussexredcross.org or call our office at 973-579-1600.