Local Red Cross receives $150,000 grant

    The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation has made a $150,000 grant to the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross to support its disaster response, Armed Forces Emergency Services, Health & Safety Training and emergency preparedness programs in eastern and northern Maine.
    “The Pine Tree Chapter’s Board, staff and volunteers are very grateful for this special grant,” said Chapter executive director Shannon Flavin Cox. “The Chapter receives no funds from the national office of the American Red Cross, or from the federal, state or county governments. All local services are supported by generous people, businesses, and grants from foundations like the King Foundation.” In recognition of its past support, the Foundation was recognized as the 2009 Foundation Partner at the Chapter’s annual meeting in June.
    Last year, the Pine Tree Chapter responded to nearly 160 home fires and other local disasters in helping nearly 500 Mainers with almost $100,000 worth of emergency shelter, food, clothing and emotional support. These were the highest numbers of disasters and victims served since the Chapter began serving Maine in 1919. “No disaster victim ever pays for Red Cross services,” said Chapter Board chair Lance Macmaster. “This makes the King Foundation grant very helpful to all Mainers. We thank the Foundation’s trustees for their commitment to the local work of the Red Cross, and hope other donors will follow their example by supporting the Pine Tree Chapter.”
    The Pine Tree Chapter serves more than 400,000 Mainers who live in Aroostook and six other eastern and northern Maine counties. It is the largest local local Red Cross Chapter east of the Mississippi River. The Chapter’s ten staff members, more than 125 disaster volunteers, and 65 skill instructors work out of four offices. Information about Chapter services and contributing to the local Red Cross is available online at www.pinetree.redcross.org or by calling 493-4620 in Caribou, 941-2903 in Bangor, 667-4737 in Ellsworth or 594-4576 in Rockland.