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American Red Cross Says Disaster Funds are Depleted

By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Jun 16, 2008 at 6:11 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jun 16, 2008 at 6:11 PM CDT

DES MOINES (AP) - The American Red Cross says its Disaster Relief Fund is out of money and it will borrow so it can keep helping flood victims in the Midwest.

The shortage in the organization's only domestic disaster relief fund comes as it continues flood relief efforts in soaked Iowa and ramps up its work downstream in Illinois and Missouri as more flooding is expected there. Officials said the Red Cross has 2,500 workers on the ground. Almost 90 percent of them are volunteers.

Red Cross Senior Vice President of Disaster Services says the fund has been depleted over the past few years in the absence of large-scale disasters that bring attention to the relevance of the Red Cross.

He says they have had many mid-size disasters that have cost them a lot of money but didn't prompt donations to cover the costs.

So far, he said the flood response in the Midwest has cost about $15 million. The Red Cross estimates it could reach as high as $40 million.

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