Red Cross lends hand to quake-displaced

140 gain emergency shelter

JOHN DODGE, THE OLYMPIAN

OLYMPIA -- Ten days after the Nisqually Earthquake, the Thurston-Mason County American Red Cross is still providing disaster aid to some 500 people, including emergency shelter for 140 displaced persons.

Based on national averages, the total number of displaced individuals and families could be three times greater, roughly 400 people, noted Kay Walters, executive director of the local Red Cross chapter.

"A lot of people went to stay with family and friends," she said.

The homeless folks aided by the Red Cross are lodged in area motels, including about 50 people from the Olympian Apartments in the old Olympia Hotel.

Roughly 360 people are receiving other types of Red Cross aid, including food, medicine, clothing and counseling, Walters said.

The local chapter, which relies on charitable donations, has just about exhausted its disaster relief fund, having spent nearly $25,000 so far, she said.

Since the earthquake, the Red Cross has received $1,088 in local donations, $9,000 from Olympia's sister city -- Yashiro, Japan -- and $7,315 from the nonprofit Community Foundation, Walters said.

Once the fund is exhausted, the local Red Cross chapter can tap into the Red Cross national disaster relief fund.

In the weeks ahead, emergency relief will shift from the Red Cross to Federal Emergency Management Agency, agency spokesman Eugene Brezany said.

So far in the eight-county disaster area, FEMA has written 1,307 checks totaling $2.4 million for emergency housing needs, he said.

The federal agency has received 5,530 applications for assistance from homeowners and businesses, including 610 requests from Thurston and Mason counties.

"Undoubtedly, we're dealing with some overlap, Bre-zany said of the FEMA and Red Cross emergency housing relief. "As time goes by, our numbers will continue to increase while theirs will continue to decline."

John Dodge covers the environment and energy for The Olympian. He can be reached at 754-5444.

Helping the helpers

The Thurston-Mason County American Red Cross phone number is 352-8575. Donations to help with earthquake relief can be sent to the local chapter at P.O. Box 1547, Olympia, WA 98507.

On the web:

American Red Cross.

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

City of Olympia.

Olympian Downtown Association.

Earthquake stories archive.

Earthquake links.

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