Number of Local Red Cross Volunteers Sent to East Coast Grows to 27

The number of volunteers from the local Red Cross chapter sent to the east coast to aid in Hurricane Matthew relief has grown to 27.

The American Red Cross of San Diego/Imperial Counties announced Tuesday the deployment of ten volunteers to east coast regions affected by the storm.

Two of the volunteers are headed to Columbia, S.C., in an Emergency Response Vehicle, marking the first time a local response vehicle has been deployed to the east coast since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The vehicle will be used to distribute food and water to residents who have gone back to their homes to clean up.

The storm is still impacting blood collections in the southeast region of the country. According to the Red Cross, Hurricane Matthew has forced cancellations of 75 blood drives across Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Appointments to donate blood can be made on the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or on the foundation's blood donation website.

You can learn more about volunteering with the American Red Cross here.

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