(DETROIT) - Two local American Red Cross volunteers were deployed to Kentucky and Tennessee this morning, joining thousands of others from Michigan and across the nation that are providing a safe place to stay, food, water, and relief supplies for thousands of residents in mid-Western and southern states that have been displaced by the severe spring floods and tornadoes.

“These storms have left thousands across the country without homes and belongings,” said Glen Hendricks, director of emergency services with the Southeastern Michigan Chapter.

Neil Weiner of Livonia, who has been on several national Red Cross disaster assignments, went down to Louisville, Kentucky. As a licensed professional counselor who served as a counselor in the Detroit Public Schools for 30 years, he will be managing other volunteers. He expects to stay anywhere from 10 days to 3 weeks, but isn’t quite sure because, like other volunteers, wasn’t given much information before leaving Detroit.

Michelle Diamond, who left her teenagers back home in Rochester, headed down to Nashville, Tennessee, for her first national Red Cross assignment.

National Red Cross relief operations have been in full force since the spring storms began in April, providing aid to those affected in Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama and most recently from tornadoes in Oklahoma.

So far, the Red Cross has provided over 6,200 overnight stays in 59 shelters, 116, 119 meals and 113,031 snacks. From the shelters and 99 Emergency Response Vehicles on the ground, the Red Cross has also provided:

17,450 clean-up kits,
10,112 comfort kits,
4,547 mental health consultations,
4,691 health services consultations.

These relief efforts have been provided by 3,160 Red Cross volunteers, including four from the Southeastern Michigan Chapter. Two others, Delano Willis, a licensed psychologist from Detroit, and Susan Morgan, of Troy, were recently deployed to Louisville to provide mental health counseling.

Back at home in southeast Michigan, Weiner, Diamond and Morgan serve on Disaster Action Teams at least one week a month, providing similar aid to local families who have been displaced by home or apartment fires.

People who would like to make a donation to help those affected by the severe spring storms can log on to www.semredcross.org to donate online, call 1-800-REDCROSS, or make a $10 donation by texting REDCROSS to 90999

Conatct:  Andrea Tomaszewski at 313-350-1434 or tomaszewskia@usa.redcross.org