Red Cross Hopes Drive Eases Recession Squeeze

Red Cross officials announced Thursday a four-month, $1-million emergency fund-raising appeal targeting county businesses and residents.

Saying the recession has drastically lowered charitable contributions and almost depleted the charity’s cash reserves, Red Cross officials said the chapter has begun a direct-mail campaign that will reach 50,000 families and corporations this weekend.

“People perceive the Red Cross as always being there,” said Bruce Englebrecht, vice chairman of the chapter’s board of directors. “But they don’t realize where the money comes from. We depend on the people to survive.”

Officials said that if the campaign is unsuccessful and $1 million is not raised by June, Red Cross services in the county will be drastically cut.

Disaster aid after earthquakes, hurricanes and severe floods would be unavailable or curtailed. Other services, such as training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and earthquake preparedness, would become almost nonexistent.

“It’s not just the big incidents,” County Fire Chief Larry J. Holms said. “The Red Cross meets daily, personal needs. The firefighters can’t do it by themselves. We work side by side with the volunteers, and they help us with the emotional traumas.”

Since 1986, chapter officials said, donations have steadily declined, with United Way--a major contributor--cutting back $1.907 million over the five years.

Operating costs have increased 46%, and severe cutbacks were made to offset insufficient funds, according to Judy Iannaccone, Red Cross public affairs director. Salary increases were canceled, full-time positions made into part-time and program supplies were reduced.

The cutbacks are still not enough to keep the chapter afloat, Iannaccone said. In June, the chapter’s operating deficit was more than $286,000; officials project a $50,585 deficit for 1992. The chapter has an annual budget of $3,754,811.

Next month, the Red Cross will conduct another mass mailing. The chapter is also planning a telephone campaign to attract donors, Iannaccone said.

The chapter has 4,000 volunteers and has helped 100,000 victims of local disasters since 1978.

During a press conference Thursday, Miles and Karen Kaawas, along with their three children, spoke of the help the Red Cross gave them in September, when they lost their belongings in a Costa Mesa apartment fire.

“What we had on is what we had left,” he said during a Red Cross slide presentation showing how the Kaawases and others have benefited from Red Cross aid.

Karen Kaawas added later that the Red Cross provided them with food, clothes and furniture.

Also at the press conference at the chapter’s Civic Center Plaza headquarters in Santa Ana, Irvine Police Officer Richard Worchester was awarded the Presidential Certificate of Merit Award for saving a 4-year-old from drowning in July.