Church donates millions to Red Cross to replace emergency response vehicles
Dean M. Davies, first councilor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, right, and Cliff Holtz Sr., COO of the American Red Cross, shake hands during a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. The church announced that it will be donating $1.5 million to the Red Cross, which will help pay for 10 new emergency response vehicles. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Jean Bingham, general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, smiles as Bishop Dean M. Davies announces a donation of $1.5 million to the American Red Cross during a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Dean M. Davies, first councilor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is interviewed by a member of the media after a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Dean M. Davies, first councilor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, center, and Harvey Johnson Jr., executive director of recovery operations for the American Red Cross, right, sign a new memorandum of understanding as Michelle Houlihan, divisional philanthropy officer for the American Red Cross, stands by during a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Cliff Holtz Sr., COO of the American Red Cross, is interviewed by a member of the media as he stands in front of one of the 10 new emergency response vehicles that the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with help pay for with their donation of $1.5 million Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Harvey Johnson Jr., executive director of recovery operations for the American Red Cross, speaks during a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Cliff Holtz Sr., COO of the American Red Cross, speaks during a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Harvey Johnson Jr., executive director of recovery operations for the American Red Cross, sports a Red Cross pin looks over a a new memorandum of understanding as he signs it during a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Dean M. Davies, first councilor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaks during a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Harvey Johnson Jr., executive director of recovery operations for the American Red Cross, is interviewed by a member of the media during a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Glen Jacobson, director of collections for the American Red Cross, sports a medical tie as he talks with other officials after a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Dean M. Davies, first councilor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shakes hands with Cliff Holtz Sr., COO of the American Red Cross, after a press conference held Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, at the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center in Murray. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Ten new American Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles will be dispatched soon to disasters around the nation, thanks to a donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Representatives of the church and the Red Cross met Friday at the American Red Cross Blood Center and Humanitarian Services building to renew their long-standing partnership. Additionally, Dean M. Davies, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of the church, announced the church is donating $1.5 million to the Red Cross to purchase 10 new emergency response vehicles.
Davies cited the church’s long-standing partnership with the Red Cross and the two organizations’ shared vision of alleviating suffering as the impetus for the donation.
“We’ve had a relationship with them for 100 years, since we first worked together during the flu epidemic of 1917,” Davies said. “In a world where there is increasing calamities and natural disasters, it is important to be with people who are serving with integrity and purpose. This gift is a testament to the great trust we have with the American Red Cross.”
Davies added that the donation also reflects the contributions of church members everywhere who make generous donations to the church for humanitarian needs.
Harvey Johnson Jr., vice president of Disaster Cycle Services at the Red Cross, praised the church for the donation, and too lauded the efforts of individual church members who are always there on the ground serving as soon as a disaster strikes. He explained that the two groups often work hand-in-hand in recovery efforts — with Red Cross crews supplying disaster victims with food, water and other supplies, and Mormon Helping Hands groups aiding in clean-up within victims’ homes and towns.
Friday’s announcement was part of a larger $3 million donation from the church to the Red Cross. Cliff Holtz Sr., American Red Cross chief operating officer, referenced this in recognizing the church as its first-ever Mission Leader — an elite group of Red Cross partners who donate $3 million or more annually to support the Red Cross mission.
“This is a unique partnership,” Holtz said. “This is not a partnership the Red Cross has with other folks. This gift touches my heart in a special way. Thank you.”
Holtz said when he is out serving from these emergency response vehicles in disaster areas, he sees the look of gratitude and relief in people’s eyes as they receive meals. Heidi Ruster, Red Cross CEO for the Utah and Nevada Region said Red Cross volunteers, put a lot of miles on these vehicles — not only getting across the nation when needed, but then serving within a disaster recovery zone.
The mobile units are a critical part of Red Cross disaster relief operations, and have a lot of storage so they can hold enough food and water to feed an entire neighborhood. Once in a disaster area, unit crews often make three or four trips daily from a supply truck to different neighborhoods within the area.
“We use them to the nth degree,” she said.
The 10 new units will be purchased soon and dispatched around the country, including one in Salt Lake City, Ruster said.
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