The Pillowcase Project with The American Red Cross and Disney Teach Kids Steps to Preparedness

Ready? Set? Let's go! Grab a pillowcase and get ready to learn about emergency preparedness including ways to create an emergency kit supplied with essential items in a pillowcase for quick and easy access in the event of an emergency. Does your home have a family emergency communications plan advising your kids and others what to do in the event of a sudden emergency at home? Are you ready to create a safety plan that everyone knows, understands and can follow if ever necessary? Let's use The Pillowcase Project to develop a preparedness plan today!

The Pillowcase Project with The American Red Cross and Disney Teach Kids Steps to Preparedness

During National Preparedness Month each September, The American Red Cross and Disney continue to commit to helping to teach disaster preparedness to children and families through The Pillowcase Project initiative. The Pillowcase Project increases its reach across the country with supportive in-school and after-school curriculum resources to help students learn how to best prepare for emergencies.

Disney Friends for Change, a global initiative that inspires kids and families to take action and make a difference in their communities, will also feature an emergency preparedness segment from Disney Junior 's Peabody Award-Winning series, Doc McStuffins. Doc McStuffins demonstrate the basic principles of emergency preparedness- Learn, Practice, Share, Be Prepared - to advise preschoolers and their families of ways to be prepared in case of an emergency.

Kids are instructed via The Pillowcase Project messaging to gather a few important items. Have your pillowcase prepared to "grab and go" in the event of an emergency with the following items-

- Flashlight
- Clothes
- Toothbrush
- Water Bottle
- Blanket
- Snacks
- Family Communication Plan

The Pillowcase Project teaches students to be prepared, practice what the skills that they learn and to share their knowledge with friends and family. Another part of their commitment to National Preparedness Month, Disney has also devotied funding toward the Monster Guard mobile app for kids. This educational safety app complements The Pillowcase Project by providing a game where children reenact and engage in interactive training scenarios for emergencies such as fires, floods and hurricanes. The free Monster Guard app is available for download at  www.redcross.org/monsterguard.

Did You Know-

-Disney supports many Red Cross disaster relief operations by contributing hundreds of hours of volunteer service and support through the Disney VoluntEARS program and also by donating Mickey Mouse plush toys to comfort children affected by disasters.

-The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, visit redcross.org.

Does your family have a safety plan in place that everyone knows, understands and can follow if ever necessary?