Missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meet with the Red Cross in Saipan

Saipan is a beautiful island with its lush tropical flora, crystal-clear water and white sandy beaches.  No one wants to see a disaster strike this area, but if or when it does, the American Red Cross chapter there is always ready to serve those in need.  Their mission statement is: “The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.”  Before Typhoon Mawar made landfall on Guam, their people were in place, prepared and ready to go to work.  Even though Saipan did not get a direct hit, they were ready if it did.  They were dispatched to Rota to assess the damage there.  Rota did not get a direct hit either, but due to the high winds, it did have some minor damage.  According to their current operations report about Typhoon Mawar, they and their partners have provided 25,936 overnight stays for more than 889 residents in 26 emergency shelters.  With the help of partners, a total of 319,035 meals and snacks have been provided to those in need.  Of the total meals served, 7,392 of these meals are shelf stable meals delivered where other resources are unavailable.  They also provide comfort kits and other supplies to those who need it. They do preliminary damage reports to find out what and where their resources are needed the most.  As of this July, they have done 7699 total assessments and found that 1406 homes were either destroyed or suffered major damage.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the partners who have helped make this kind of service possible. They have contributed in substantial ways monetarily and with supplies to help assist in their distribution of these services.  John Hirsh is the executive director of the Red Cross for the Northern Mariana Islands.  He said that they are so grateful for all that the Church has donated to help them serve the people in this area.  He also stated that the Red Cross wouldn’t be able to help those in need without the support and donations of their partners.