The Red Cross St. Maarten will be assisting the victims of Hurricane Tomas.
Tomas, the 12th hurricane of a very active 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, strengthened as it swept over Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and also touched Curaçao, damaging homes, knocking out power and blocking roads with flooding and debris in late October early November.
"We have contacted the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Cross Curacao where an assessment of their needs were requested and the response was for more monetary assistance," Red Cross St. Maarten General Manager Marjan van der Steen said. When asked why not just send clothes and food, she said "sending such items have proven to take more time and it’s a logistical challenge." "Sending monetary donations is much faster and efficient for the recipients of such aid since materials can be purchased directly from their market."
If you would like to donate to Red Cross St. Maarten to help benefit the victims of Hurricane Tomas on the various Caribbean islands please send all monetary donations to the following emergency relief accounts at the Windward Islands Bank in St. Maarten: Nafl. 809.809.00 and USD 809.809.02. If you want your donation to benefit a specific island, please mark this on your transfer. If not then all proceeds will be divided equally over the islands in need.