American Red Cross Releases Katrina Report

The American Red Cross has released a report that details its 2005 response to Hurricane Katrina.

The report – titled Bring Help, Bringing Hope – says donors gave the American Red Cross a total of $2.2 billion to help people affected by the storms, with $57 million of the contributions coming from Georgia.

"The incredible generosity of Atlantans, Georgians and Americans nationwide enabled the Red Cross to launch the largest relief effort in our 129-year history," said Tim English, CEO of Atlanta's Red Cross, which coordinated the organizations response in Georgia with the help of local chapters and 16,000 volunteers statewide.

According to the report, in Georgia alone, the Red Cross aided tens of thousands of Gulf Coast neighbors seeking refuge in the state, providing:

• $44.4 million in financial assistance to 43,000 families
• 22 shelters housing 3,100 people
• 400,000 meals and snacks
• 20,000 health and mental health contacts

Related : The view the full report, click here .

"The hurricanes of 2005 challenged us all," said English. "We leaed that there are some disasters that are so big that no agency - govement or nonprofit - can do it all."