When Sharon Wood arrived home after vacation, she expected life to go back to normal – there were bills to be paid, laundry to be done and e-mails to read.
But "normal" had changed forever. While she was gone, a dryer fire sparked a massive blaze that took firefighters more than six hours to extinguish, killing a family pet and completely destroying the home in which she, her husband, niece and nephew and their two young children lived.
Wood's niece and nephew had immediately jumped into action, calling the American Red Cross for help. Within hours, they had a warm bed in a nearby motel, a hot meal and funds for clothing to replace what had been destroyed. For the children, diapers filled a practical need while stuffed animals provided comfort in the face of tragedy.
During these challenging economic times when insurance is a luxury many Oregonians can't afford, your donation can help rebuild the lives of those in desperate need of help -- just like the Wood family.
Oregonians can invest all or part of their refund in the critical assistance offered by the Oregon Red Cross by simply entering #27 under the "other charity" box in the Charitable Checkoff section of their tax return (line 68 on Form 40 or line 38 on Form 40S). Last year alone, the Oregon Red Cross provided food, clothes shelter and emotional support to more than 600 families following more than 500 disasters.
Thousands of adults and children in need can benefit from the generosity of Oregon tax payers. Let your tax refund help rebuild lives by checking #27 on your Oregon State Tax Return.
For more information, visit www.oregonredcross.org/checkoff.
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In Oregon, the American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disaster an average of 10 times a week; supplies more than 90 percent of Oregon 's blood; teaches thousands of Oregonians lifesaving skills; offers transportation to seniors and the disabled; provides international humanitarian aid; 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 mission. For more information, please visit
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