PayPal Stories Archive

At PayPal, we believe that uniting our community of employees, customers and partners can help us all to be better prepared when disaster strikes. That's why, for #NationalPreparednessMonth, we've gathered advice, resources and recommendations from the disaster relief experts at American Red Cross, Direct Relief and Save the Children to help you and your family prepare for the unexpected.

 

The most important aspect of being prepared is having a plan and communicating it to your whole family. It's critical to know the location of your community shelter, familiarize yourself with local evacuation routes and anticipate what type of disasters are most likely to affect your area.

 

Make sure you have a stockpile of food, water and other supplies to last at least 72 hours, to keep your family safe and healthy until help arrives. Using the checklist and a packing tutorial from Save the Children, you'll be able to pack a go-bag for your children. Or, you may purchase preassembled kits that are available through organizations like American Red Cross and Direct Relief.

 

In addition to getting yourself and your family prepared, consider donating to disaster response organizations to help them get prepared, so that they can provide even better relief to people who need it.

 

Every 8 minutes American Red Cross responds to an emergency, and 90%of those emergencies are home fires. Red Cross volunteers and staff work to deliver relief services, from providing support to those in crisis to helping you prepare for emergencies. 95% of their disaster relief workers are volunteers that are funded by donations.

 

Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies. With a focus on health, Direct Relief supports locally run facilities providing essential health services.

 

Save the Children is the leading expert for children in emergencies in the U.S. and around the world. When crisis strikes and children are most vulnerable, their expert staff are always among the first to respond and the last to leave, ensuring children and families recover from their losses, restore their lives and build resilience for years to come.

 

By donating to the above organizations today—not just after a disaster strikes—you can help them be prepared ahead of the crisis, as well, so they can better serve you, your family and your community.