Foundation grant helps Red Cross purchase ERV

The Louisville Water Foundation has approved a grant to the American Red Cross, Kentucky Region, for $17,500 to update its fleet of Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs).

This donation has helped the Kentucky Region purchase its fourth new ERV, which is an energy efficient, high-tech truck enabling the Red Cross to quickly provide food and supplies to people affected by disasters.

The Red Cross has used these ERVs extensively throughout southern Indiana and Kentucky this past year, with the February floods as well as the recent tornadoes and storms in mid-July.

In 2017, the Foundation also granted $25,000 to the American Red Cross to help fund another first response vehicle for its fleet.

“When disaster strikes, Red Cross workers climb into emergency response vehicles and travel through impacted neighborhoods providing food, water and comfort to victims,” said Jennifer Adrio, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross, Kentucky Region. “Thanks to the generous support of the Louisville Water Foundation, we’ve been able to add a fourth new vehicle to our fleet, which will help us reach even more people in need, and is in addition to the first response vehicle they also helped to fund.”

The new ERVs will be fuel efficient, easier to drive with lower maintenance costs and provide ample storage room for food water and supplies.

The new vehicles are designed to be adjustable and can adapt to disasters large and small. For example, modular features allow the vehicles to quickly transform so volunteers can either serve thousands of meals a day following a tornado or address the needs of a family displaced by a home fire.

“Modernizing its fleet of vehicles will help the Red Cross better respond to communities and provide precious resources such as food and water,” said Spencer Bruce, President and CEO of Louisville Water and President of the Louisville Water Foundation.

“This initiative aligns with the Foundation’s mission of assisting communities who are in need of water,” he added, “so we are happy to support them again.”