Support for Disaster Relief Never Takes a Break
Spring usually means warmer weather, blooming flowers and budding trees, but it also means severe weather. Season after season severe weather, like thunderstorms, tornados and floods, take their toll on Sioux City and the surrounding areas. Luckily when the area is impacted by a disaster, the American Red Cross is there to help.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. The Gilchrist Foundation has been one of those generous donors.
Gilchrist Foundation Supports Local Red Cross Efforts Year After Year
The Red Cross has branches located across the United States, including in the Sioux City area. The American Red Cross of Northwest Iowa & Northeast Nebraska serves communities across these counties: Bueno Vista, Calhoun, Carroll, Cherokee, Clay, Crawford, Dickinson, Emmet, Humboldt, Ida, Kossuth, Lyon, Monona, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sac, Shelby, Sioux, O’Brien, Webster and Woodbury in Iowa; Cedar, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Madison, Pierce, Stanton, Thurston and Wayne in Nebraska; Union in South Dakota.
Nearly every year, the Gilchrist Foundation supports the American Red Cross’ disaster relief efforts.
In 2021, the Gilchrist Foundation awarded $50,000 to the American Red Cross for area disaster support, including $25,000 to the Western Wildfires Relief Fund for the Minnesota wildfire response. Massive wildfires in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, coupled with a severe drought, triggered unprecedented poor air quality in Minnesota in 2021, with cities in the central part of the state setting all-time records for particulates in the air, according to the Duluth News Tribune. The Red Cross’ Western Wildfires Relief fund supported relief efforts across the state as much of Minnesota was covered in a thick haze.
In 2020, the American Red Cross received $87,500 total from the Gilchrist Foundation. Part of the money, $7,500, went to support victims of southern U.S. tornados and floods, $30,000 was given for silent disaster response as a result of COVID-19 and $50,000 for 2020 derecho relief. On August 10, 2020, a derecho traveled 770 miles in 14 hours, with winds up to 99 miles per hour, leaving destruction in its wake. The August 10 derecho not only destroyed thousands of structures but left thousands of people without power.
In 2019, the Gilchrist Foundation gave $100,000 to help with flooding across the Midwest. In early March 2019, a storm system released torrential rainfall over existing snowpack across Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and other Midwest states. The rain flash-melted huge quantities of water, overwhelming dams and levees. While groundwater bubbled up into many homes across Siouxland, those located along rivers, including the Elk Horn River in Nebraska and Big Sioux, Little Sioux and Floyd rivers in Iowa, were hit the hardest. The funds aided Red Cross efforts of more than 550 workers who helped those people by opening shelters and providing overnight stays.
Looking ahead for 2022, it’s hard to predict when a disaster will occur, but history suggests the American Red Cross will need the Gilchrist Foundation’s support once again. No matter what happens, the American Red Cross will be there to provide meals and snacks, overnight shelter and hotel stays and distributing relief items.
About The Gilchrist Foundation
The Gilchrist Foundation was established by Jocelyn Gilchrist of Sioux City to honor her family. Her father, William Gilchrist, was an influential part of the livestock industry in the early and mid-1900s. The wealth accumulated throughout his life is used to support the family’s special interests, including wildlife and conservation, the Arts and public broadcasting, and disaster relief. After Jocelyn’s death, the Foundation continued in her memory and is proud to support the philanthropic interests of the Gilchrist family.