Red Cross Celebrates 3,000 Days Of Housing For Philadelphia Area Victims
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Red Cross was today celebrating the 3,000th day of operation of its Red Cross House in West Philadelphia, helping victims of area disasters in need of housing.
Since it opened in April of 2003, the Red Cross House has housed more then 8,600 people in more than 2,700 families, who were victims of disaster.
"We roll the hoses up and we go back to the firehouse, but the Red Cross embraces these families," says Philadelphia fire commissioner Lloyd Ayers.
In September, the Red Cross is launching a $20-million endowment campaign for the facility, located at 40th Street and Powelton Avenue.
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Meanwhile, Nadirah Braggs -- who has been there since May with her three young children after a fire devastated their Olney home -- says staying at the Red Cross House has helped her worry less about her family.
"You know how you open a brochure and you say, 'It's not going to look like this.' But when we got here it was clean, my kids had somewhere to sleep, eat, and play, indoor and out."
Reported by Karin Phillips, KYW Newsradio 1060
