Emergency Warming Centers By The Numbers
  

When record snowfall hit the Portland area, volunteers from the Oregon Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross took action, operating Emergency Warming Centers for the homeless. Inside, guests received a warm blanket, sleeping mat, hot coffee and snacks -- life-saving offerings on the coldest of nights.

Here are the initial numbers from December's Emergency Warming Center operations:

• 14 consecutive nights of operation
• 2,800 overnight stays (guests)
• 168 overnight stays (pets)
• 243 hours of operation
• 200 volunteers/workers

For more information about the Red Cross Emergency Warming Centers, visit www.oregonredcross.org/EWC. To support the ongoing work of the Oregon Trail Chapter, visit www.oregonredcross.org/donate.

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In Oregon, the American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disaster every 12 hours; provides 97 percent of Oregon's blood supply; teaches thousands of Oregonians lifesaving skills; provides transportation to seniors and the disabled; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit