East Greenwich Woman, Red Cross Director, Heads to South Carolina to Help Hurricane Matthew Victims

EAST GREENWICH, RI -- Tempie Thompson, executive director of the American Red Cross Rhode Island, is bound for Columbia, South Carolina, according to spokeswoman Stefanie Arcangelo.

Thompson is one of 35 Rhode Island and Connecticut region volunteers who have signed up to support Red Cross relief efforts for Hurricane Matthew.

Her role will be a Community Partnerships Supervisor, Arcangelo said.

"The massive Red Cross sheltering effort now spans five states," Arcangelo explained, "as Hurricane Matthew moved along the southeast coast of the United States last night causing deadly floods in North Carolina."

On Monday morning, almost 7,000 people -- in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia -- stayed in 156 Red Cross and community evacuation shelters, she said.

Here is the breakdown:

• In North Carolina, 72 shelters with 1,850 people
• In South Carolina, 41 shelters with 1,780 people
• In Georgia, 19 shelters with 2,830 people
• In Florida, 21 shelters with more than 440 people
• In Virginia, 3 shelters with 60 people.

According to Arcangelo, more than 2,700 Red Cross disaster workers are helping. To contribute, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word MATTHEW to 90999 to make a $10 donation.