NATCHEZ &045;&045; Around the world, American Red Cross workers respond every eight minutes to disaster. In Natchez and the surrounding area, disaster does not strike so often. Yet when it does, Red Cross volunteers are prepared to be the first to assist families in need.

&uot;We are the bridge between the incident and making the family functional again,&uot; said John Goodrich, executive director of the Adams County Chapter of Red Cross. &uot;We are part of a chain that allows a family to take a deep breath and say, ‘these are the things we need to do.’&uot;

In the immediate aftermath of an incident that affects one or several families, the local Red Cross services include providing shelter and food. During those critical first days, Red Cross volunteers then begin to make connections with other local agencies that will take the families into the long-term assistance programs that may be needed.

How does the Red Cross accomplish its work? &uot;We are financially dependent on the community,&uot; Goodrich said. &uot;We do not get outside funds for work in our area unless there is a large disaster.&uot;

Long dependent on funds from United Way of the Greater Miss-Lou, Red Cross likely will suffer a huge shortfall when United Way begins to allocate its payouts to agencies this year. &uot;We’ll be lucky to get $10,000 from United Way,&uot; Goodrich said. &uot;There will be a big shortfall there. In the past, $30,000 of our $57,000 budget came from United Way. Last year it was cut to $17,000. This year we expect another cut.&uot;

Never have donations been more important. Anyone wishing to help the local chapter, which now reaches out to Wilkinson, Amite, Jefferson and Franklin counties, as well, should make the check payable to Adams County Red Cross Chapter to ensure that the funds remain in the local area.

Never have volunteers been more important, as well, Goodrich said. As the only paid employee, he depends heavily on volunteers to carry out the day-to-day work at the chapter. And one of the greatest wishes of the local chapter is to recruit more volunteers to become trained in disaster work. &uot;People don’t realize that they can become trained in disaster work and go worldwide with the Red Cross,&uot; he said. Ann Thornhill, chairman of the local board, spent months in New York City as a Red Cross volunteer working with families affected by the Sept. 11, 2001, disaster, for example.

The Adams County Red Cross holds fund-raising courses that at the same time are helpful to the community. Those include certification classes for lifeguards and babysitters.

During 2003, the chapter assisted in more than 50 cases of connecting military personnel with their families when sickness, death, birth of a baby or another important event occurred.

The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 by Clara Barton with a mission that continues more than 120 years later &045; saving lives and easing suffering by providing relief to those affected by disasters and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Red Cross volunteers always have been guided by certain fundamental principles, including humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. Red Cross is different from other local agencies in one fundamental way, Goodrich said. &uot;We are always available. You call us at 2 o’clock in the morning, and we’ll be right there. We are instantaneous. But we’re not long term.&uot;