Imagine your life being turned upside down by a disaster. One minute, you’re relaxing with your family, and the next, you’re jolted by a blaring smoke alarm, tornado siren, or emergency evacuation alert. You flee your home and leave behind nearly everything you hold dear, not knowing what will remain when you return.

Scenarios like these happen every eight minutes to families across the country. In fact, the American Red Cross assisted more than 2,500 people after home fires last year right here in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

On March 24 – Red Cross Giving Day – we invite you to unite with thousands of compassionate people like you to help ensure families don’t face crises, like home fires, alone. In its seventh year, Giving Day is an opportunity for local communities to come together on one day to help families who urgently need Red Cross services to get back on their feet.

You can participate in two main ways:

• Make a financial donation at redcross.org/GivingDay. Your gift provides comfort and reassurance to families after a disaster, including shelter, food, relief items, emotional support and other assistance.

• Spread the word about Red Cross Giving Day on social media and share your passion for helping those in need. We invite you to download these selfie signs in English or Spanish and share your responses on social media. Be sure to tag @RedCrossPhilly and use the #HelpCantWait hashtag

Unless otherwise indicated, donations made on Red Cross Giving Day will be used for Red Cross Disaster Relief, which supports disasters big and small, including home fires. Here are some of the ways your gift makes life-saving help possible:

• A gift of $200 can help cover the cost of deploying an emergency response vehicle out to communities affected by disaster for one day to deliver meals, snacks, relief supplies, information and comfort to people in need.

• A gift of $100 can help make cleaning supplies available for five families who are beginning the recovery process. Kits include items like a mop, bucket, disinfectant, trash bags, gloves and more.

• A gift of $95 can help provide a family of three with a day’s worth of food, including breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus blankets and other essentials in the aftermath of a disaster.

• A gift of $60 can help provide six people with a warm, nourishing meal that includes a main course, snacks and a drink to those impacted by disasters.

• A gift of $35 can help ensure that two people each receive a warm blanket, meal, snack and comfort kit with the basic personal supplies they would need in the aftermath of a disaster.

In moments of heartbreak, your gift and support of the Red Cross helps families recover in the aftermath of disasters. We are so grateful for your kindness and generosity on Red Cross Giving Day and beyond!

Primary image description: An adult woman with a look of relief embraces a toddler and a teddy bear. They are standing in front of a Red Cross emergency response vehicle.