PLEASE NOTE: To protect the privacy of shelter residents, media will not be admitted to shelters without advance permission from the Red Cross. Please call our 24-hour media line at (518) 339-7558 for information. **Media line number not for public use.**

Albany, NY - (Feb. 25) - 9:00 p.m.- The American Red Cross of Northeastern New York (ARCNENY) is in the process of opening a fourth shelter in Greene County to assist residents affected by this week´s winter storm and widespread power outages.

As of 9:30 p.m., a shelter will be open at Hunter Elementary School, 7794 Main Street in Hunter. The following shelter locations are also currently open:

• Freehold Fire Department, 9502 County Route 32 in Freehold
• Office of Emergency Management Building, 25 Volunteer Drive in Cairo
• Athens Fire Department, 39 Third Street in Athens

Residents should call the Red Cross at (518) 458-8111 for more information. At this time, all shelters are scheduled to remain open until the morning of Friday, February 26:The Red Cross is working closely with local officials to determine the need for ongoing shelter operations to meet community needs.

The Red Cross will provide hot food, beverages and a safe place to sleep. People coming to the shelter should bring:

• Bedding for each member of the family (although the Red Cross has some bedding available, we are asking people coming to the shelter to bring their own bedding if possible for additional personal comfort and to ensure we can give comfort to as many people as possible).
• Diapers and formula for children.
• Prescription medicines .
• Toiletries.
• Food for special dietary needs.
• Please note that the only animals permitted in Red Cross shelters are service animals; for safety and health reasons, we can not accommodate pets.

The Red Cross is actively seeking volunteers and financial donations to assist with disaster relief efforts in their eight-county service area. For more information or to make a donation to support local, national or international disaster relief, call (518) 458-8111 or visit www.redcrossneny.org.

About the American Red Cross of Northeastern New York
Since 1910, ARCNENY has given relief to victims of disasters and helped people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. Last year, nearly 1,000 residents of the greater Capital Region received free, emergency assistance by ARCNENY after disasters such as fires, floods, and power outages. Each year, more than 40,000 greater Capital Region residents learn to save lives through Red Cross CPR, water safety, first aid and emergency preparedness classes; and hundreds of local military families receive support and emergency communications services.

The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money and blood from the American people to do its work. An average of 92 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. For more information about your local Red Cross and our 100 years of service, visit www.redcrossneny.org or call (518) 458-8111.