American Red Cross and HOPE worldwide volunteers will canvass more than 25 cities with life-saving information

As the country prepares to inaugurate its first African American President, volunteers from local American Red Cross chapters and HOPE worldwide will celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by distributing vital fire safety information throughout communities in more than 25 cities during the Martin Luther King Day of Service weekend. Martin Luther King, Jr. recognized the power of service to strengthen communities and achieve common goals. This partnership will help residents prevent home fires, protect their loved ones and strengthen their community.

Volunteers will canvass door-to-door throughout communities in more than 25 cities, talk with residents and leave behind door hangers with fire safety information. The door hangers include information about smoke alarms, creating a household fire escape plan, and tips for cooking and heating a home safely this winter.

Home fires are America’s biggest disaster threat. The Red Cross responds to about 180 home fires every day, all year long. More than 93 percent of the 74,000 disasters the Red Cross responds to each year are fire related. When the weather gets colder the potential for home fires increases, but according to a recent survey conducted by the American Red Cross and National Fire Protection Association, this year the potential for home fires may increase as people, concerned about the cost of heating their homes, plan to use an alternative source of heat- like a space heater or stove- to lower their bills this winter.

This is the second year American Red Cross and HOPE worldwide volunteers and employees will work together on a national and local level to mobilize volunteers to distribute fire safety and prevention information in communities and neighborhoods vulnerable to home fires.

Last year, 10 Red Cross chapters and HOPE worldwide offices joined together to distributed fire safety information on the MLK Day of Service in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Washington DC, Baltimore, Denver, San Diego, Boston, and Atlanta. More than 42,400 households received fire safety and prevention door hangers in English and Spanish from 2,126 volunteers.

2009 Participating ARC Chapters

• Metropolitan Atlanta (Ga.) Chapter
• Central Maryland Chapter (Baltimore)
• American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay (Cambridge)
• American Red Cross of Greater Chicago (Ill.)
• Pikes Peak Chapter (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
• American Red Cross of Central South Carolina (Columbia)
• Mile High Chapter (Denver, Colo.)
• Southeastern Michigan Chapter (Detroit)
• American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids (Mich.)
• Northeast Florida Chapter (Jacksonville)
• Mid-Michigan Chapter (Lansing)
• Badger Chapter (Madison, Wis.)
• American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
• Southeast Louisiana Chapter (New Orleans)
• American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey (Fairfield)
• American Red Cross in Greater New York (N.Y.)\
• South Texas Chapter (Harlingen)
• Sacramento-Sierra (Ca.) Chapter
• San Antonio (Tex.) Area Chapter
• San Diego (Calif.)/Imperial Counties Chapter
• American Red Cross Serving King & Kitsap Counties (Seattle, Wash.)
• American Red Cross St. Louis (Mo.) Area
• American Red Cross of the National Capital Area (Fairfax, Va.)

2009 Official Participating HOPE worldwide Cities

• Atlanta, GA
• Baltimore, MD
• Boston, MA
• Chicago, IL
• Colorado Springs, CO
• Columbia, SC
• Denver, CO
• Detroit, MI
• Grand Rapids, MI
• Jacksonville, FL
• Lansing, MI
• Madison, WI
• Milwaukee, WI
• New Orleans, LA
• New York, NY
• Newark, NJ
• Rio Grande Valley, TX
• Sacramento, CA
• San Antonio, TX
• San Diego, CA
• Seattle, WA
• St. Louis, MO
• Washington, DC/Mid-Atlantic

2009 Additional Participating HOPE worldwide Cities

• Charlotte, NC
• Dallas, TX
• Philadelphia, PA

As part of the world's largest humanitarian network, the American Red Cross alleviates the suffering of victims of war, disaster and other international crises, and works with other Red Cross and Red Crescent societies to improve chronic, life-threatening conditions in developing nations. We reconnect families separated by emergencies and educate the American public about international humanitarian law. This assistance is made possible through the generosity of the American public.

In the U.S., HOPE worldwide is located in 65 cities and works in cooperation with over 138 churches that provide more than 20,000 volunteers. HOPE worldwide volunteers mobilize to help their communities with issues of disaster preparedness and relief, education, children, workforce development, and community outreach.

###