“The generosity of the LDS Church empowers the Red Cross to give hope to people when they need it most. They are truly national leaders in disaster response,” said Heidi Ruster, CEO of the Utah and Nevada region.
The American Red Cross says a $1.5 million donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will enable the organization to be ready to respond to future disasters in the United States.
This "particular gift comes at a good time" because of the many needs, said Rich Woodruff, communications director for the Utah and Nevada region of the American Red Cross.
The gift — $1 million, along with an in-kind donation of $500,000 — "creates the reliable funding needed to deliver swift relief, enabling the Red Cross to respond at a moment’s notice with trained volunteers, supplies from their stocked warehouses, emergency response vehicles and resources, to transform community sites into shelters,” according to a statement from the Red Cross.