For 139 Years, the American Red Cross has been a helping hand during uncertain times and 2020 has been no exception. Recently the organization has had its hands full, offering relief from natural disasters like wildfires in California and Hurricane Laura, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"My heart goes out to the people that have been experiencing these back-to-back-to-back disasters," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of The American Red Cross. "Within the last 30 days we had the derecho in the Midwest, we had wildfires in California, and now, of course, we're dealing with Hurricane Laura."
Hurricane Laura left significant devastation in its path, affecting about 700,000 homes. "It's either they're out of power or the sewage system isn't working. or the water isn't working," said McGovern. "It's very, very difficult out there."
The organization has been distributing about 45,000 meals per day throughout this hurricane relief effort.
While it is not uncommon for the Red Cross to juggle multiple disaster response efforts simultaneously, 2020 has brought the additional challenge of helping large numbers of people with COVID-19 still spreading."We're still delivering our mission despite the pandemic," said McGovern.
In addition to staff members, the aid organization relies heavily on volunteers. "I have to say that I am so proud of our volunteers because they are coming out in the same numbers that they had been pre-COVID, which is remarkable," said McGovern. "These people are humanitarians: they see a need and they just have to jump in and fill it." She noted they could still use more volunteers and there are opportunities for people to volunteer virtually.
"We're still fulfilling our mission, but the way we are doing it is completely different. Wherever possible we are trying to put people in hotels, and we're doing that so that they can social distance so that we're not in large congregate shelters where the disease can spread," said McGovern. "If we have to open up a shelter we're trying to open up multiple shelters so there are fewer people in each."
People using the shelters receive health screenings when they enter and are required to wear masks. Inside, cots are socially distanced and hand sanitizer is readily available, she added. The organization has been able to secure a large number of hotel rooms, though, so people have a safe place to go where they are not surrounded by crowds.
Donations are still needed, however. "We think Hurricane Laura is going to probably cost about $20 million dollars and so far only $2.1 million has come through the door. Any gift would be deeply, deeply appreciated regardless of the size," she noted. Donations can be made at Redcross.org.
"It's a different world and yet we're still out there helping people to the best of our ability."
e.l.f Beauty is celebrating a significant milestone in its sustainable journey. Since launching its Project Unicorn initiative in 2019, the company has eliminated more than one million pounds of packaging materials. Ashley Rosebrook, e.l.f. Beauty's chief creative officer, who spearheaded this effort and has continued to work to reduce the brand's carbon footprint, joined Cheddar to discuss this initiative and what the company aims to do next.
The Omicron variant is raising concerns about how safe it is to travel, just as millions of Americans were getting ready to jet set away for the holidays. Scientists are still trying to understand how much protection vaccines offer against the new variant, and many questions remain unanswered. Sara Nelson, President of the Association of Flight Attendants, gives tips on how to travel safely and comments on the aviation industry's ongoing recovery from the pandemic.
Carlo and Baker cover the latest data showing the Omicron wave has likely started, Pfizer's Covid pill, Jan. 6 and a box office rescue attempt courtesy of Spider-Man.
As 2021 is approaching its end, the meme stock mania that surrounded companies like Gamestop and AMC this year doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Stocks for both companies plunged to their lowest levels in months on Monday, but on Tuesday, traders seemed to come to the rescue, as the stocks for both companies saw rebounds. Great Hill Capital Chariman Thomas Hayes joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Upward Farms is an indoor vertical farming company on a mission to heal our broken food system and reconnect consumers with organic locally-grown food. The Brooklyn-based company uses its controlled environment farms to grow organic leafy greens, which are sold at whole foods markets in New York City. Upward Farms co-founder and CEO Jason Green joined Cheddar Climate to discuss.
Cheddar is looking back at the 12 biggest buzzwords of the year leading up to Christmas. Today's word of the day is "Infrastructure." Definition: (noun) the basic physical and organizational systems that uphold the structure of the economy.
The U.S. cannabis industry is on track to hit almost $25 billion in sales, according to New Frontier Data. Vivien Azer, managing director and senior research analyst at Cowen, and Russell Stanley, managing director and equity research at Beacon Securities Limited, join Cheddar News to give their predictions for the budding industry in 2022.
As more states begin to legalize recreational marijuana, there's a growing interest in legalizing cannabis cultivation. As the rise in cannabis farms expands across the U.S., more research is being done to examine its impact on the planet. Michael Katz, executive director at Mendocino Cannabis Alliance, joins Cheddar News to talk about the carbon footprint of cannabis farms.
Former 'Real Housewives of New York' star Dorinda Medley is introducing a premium small-batch bourbon, named after her iconic Massachusetts home, Bluestone Manor. The reality TV star joins Cheddar News to talk about her new book, returning to the 'RHONY' franchise, and her new bourbon.
