Rescue House Gives to Red Cross

Press Release: June 7th, 2005

The Rescue House project is officially over with a final donation of $11,278.82 to the American Red Cross.

Rescue House was started by JEA's Leadership Class of 1997 to provide a temporary home for families who lost their own home because of fire. The class decided to sell the home last year and distribute the proceeds because the use of the home had lessened due to greater public awareness about fire prevention.

"We felt the house did a great job providing people with a home setting they could feel comfortable with after such a bad experience," said Jim Ferrell, Rescue House treasurer and a member of the leadership class.

Those who have occupied the house included families with sick children, the elderly and a woman with a high-risk pregnancy who went into labor right after her house burned. Other proceeds from the sale of the house went to pay back JEA for its initial investment in buying the house, pay off Habitat for Humanity loan for another JEA leadership class, and to purchase a siren update for Madison County.

The donation to the Red Cross came at a good time; an apartment complex fire had just displaced several families and the Red Cross needed the money to provide food and housing for them.

"Our friends at Jackson Energy Authority truly reflect the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross. We appreciate their work in the community and for their gift to the Jackson Area Chapter to help others," said Wanda Stanfill, 9 Year Executive Director with the Red Cross.

Rescue House won the Southern Gas Association Community Service Award in 2000.