This is the 10th in a series of stories highlighting charitable giving and the agencies in need in the Miss-Lou.

NATCHEZ — Over the course of the year, the Adams County Chapter of the Red Cross has been quite busy.

Volunteers have responded to 47 storm and fire-related incidents, assisted 145 individuals and given financial assistance in the total amount of $24,727.

Natchez became an evacuation center during Hurricane Gustav, but also suffered damage, and Adams County saw record highs in the flooding of the Mississippi River.

The three other counties the Adams County Chapter of the Red Cross assists — Amite, Jefferson and Wilkinson — saw a myriad of flood, fire and hurricane damage.

And all the while, the Red Cross was there.

Director Angie Brown said there are two components to running the chapter that are crucial — volunteers and funds.

“There’s nothing more important than volunteers,” she said. “They’re the heart of our success and without our donors we could not exist.”

Brown said the organization runs strictly on donations.

“We do not get government funding, nothing from the federal government. We exist solely upon donations,” she said.

She said the community is a giving one and what they receive from their donors is enough to exist on.

“Our donors are very generous and when we do solicit for funds, whether it be we need material goods or we need money, the communities are very good with supplying us with our needs when we need them,” Brown said.

Currently, there is a push to get more volunteers, she said.

“Our goal for this coming year is that we can train and retain more volunteers this year,” she said.

“We’re going to be more and more dependent on ourselves rather than to rely on National (Red Cross.)”

And any type of volunteer could be used.

She said disaster-trained volunteers are needed, as well as water safety instructors to teach swimming lessons.

Brown said the Red Cross wants to teach more water safety classes in the future, but without volunteer help it will be difficult.

Brown said being a Red Cross volunteer is very rewarding.

“I think anyone who gets involved in it and understands the services we provide and the means we have to help our clients, there’s nothing more rewarding,” she said.

Inquiries about volunteering can be made by calling the Adams County Chapter house at 601-442-3656.

Monetary donations can be made at 211 N. Union St. or to P.O. Box 583, Natchez, MS, 39121.

Donations can be made through PayPal and the funds can be designated either to disaster relief or the general funds which includes paying for utilities for the chapter house.