The American Red Cross Serving Northeast Texas presented The Pillowcase Project, a national program offered in schools, after-school programs, summer camps and other youth programs and events to teach 3rd – 5th graders and their families how to prepare for disasters.
The Pillowcase Project curriculum is structured by three core principles: Learn, Practice and Share. Students will learn about hazards, how to prepare for emergencies, enhance coping skills, practice what they have learned and share their knowledge with friends and family. The program emphasizes the importance of practicing protective actions, developing an emergency communications plan, and practicing a home fire drill.
The program also teaches students how to create their own emergency supplies kit by packing essential items in a pillowcase for easy transport during an emergency. Students will have the opportunity to decorate and personalize their pillowcases during the presentation, and are encouraged to take them home to create a kit.
Created in New Orleans, The Pillowcase Project was inspired by the story of local university students carrying their belongings in pillowcases during Hurricane Katrina evacuations. Through the program, the Red Cross aims to empower children to prepare themselves, their households, and their communities for emergencies. The program is sponsored by Disney.
“Children are particularly vulnerable and at a high risk of being hurt during disasters, which is why we offer programs like The Pillowcase Project. Adults can also help reduce this risk by talking to children about what to do during emergencies and taking preparedness actions as a household, like making a plan,” recommends Harvey Johnson, senior vice president of Disaster Cycle Services at the American Red Cross.
For more information about The Pillowcase Project or to schedule a presentation for your school or organization, contact: Eric Cain, Executive Director of the American Red Cross at 903-793-5602.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
