The American Red Cross is in Texas and Louisiana, providing food, shelter and comfort to people affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Access to many areas is still challenging - the Red Cross is expanding efforts into more communities every day. The work is just beginning – financial donations dedicated to Harvey will be used to help people recover and get back on their feet in the challenging weeks and months ahead.

Harvey Donations at Work

The Red Cross is using the generous donations from the American people to provide shelter, food, comfort and emergency support.

* Donations pay for Red Cross shelters and the volunteers who are supporting them. Overnight, more than 14,000 people sought refuge in 84 Red Cross and partner shelters across Texas. The Red Cross is also assisting the Louisiana state government with emergency shelters which hosted more than 70 people last night.

* Donations pay to transport the more than 3,500 Red Cross disaster workers on the ground in Texas, with an additional 430 on the way. There are also more than 150 helping in Louisiana.

* Donations pay for the more than 1.2 million meals and snacks served in Texas, with the help of partners. An additional 33,000 served in Louisiana.

* Donations pay for the gas and equipment to power feeding efforts. Trailers of kitchen supplies are on the ground to support 16 kitchens, each able to produce 10,000 meals a day.

* Donations pay for the more than 190 emergency response vehicles activated to help deliver meals and relief supplies.

* Donations pay to support the mental health and health services professionals who support and care for evacuees - some 40,000 contacts have been made.

* Donations pay for relief items like diapers and comfort kits that contain deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other hygiene items for people forced from their homes - 246,000 have been distributed so far and this number will grow as people are able to return home.

* More than 30 million hurricane and flood alerts have been issued through Red Cross mobile apps since August 23, well surpassing the 6 million issued for Superstorm Sandy. The apps provide shelter locations and * real-time information so people can help protect themselves and their loved-ones.

Massive disasters like Hurricane Harvey create more needs than any one organization can meet on their own. The Red Cross is working very closely with the entire response community – government agencies, other non-profit groups, faith-based organizations, area businesses and others – to coordinate relief efforts and get help to people in need. We’re also working with dozens of disaster partners to support feeding, child care, disaster assessment and other disaster services.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.