More Lowcountry Red Cross volunteers heading for hurricane help

The local chapter of the Red Cross is sending five more volunteers to New Jersey to help with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

Four volunteers will head for Tinton Falls and one for Princeton Thursday morning, according to Christina Monserrate with the Carolina Lowcountry Chapter of Red Cross.

Seven other local volunteers are already in place.

“We are ready to deploy more disaster services workers as needed,” Monserrate said.

More than 9,000 people spent Tuesday night in 171 Red Cross shelters in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, Vermont, New Hampshire, Indiana and Ohio, she said.

The Red Cross has sent more than 2,300 disaster workers to the region hit but the hurricane.

The Red Cross has a critical need for blood donations, she said. To find out how to donate, go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800- 733-2767.

Financial donations can be made to the American Red Cross, Carolina Lowcountry Chapter, 8085 Rivers Ave., Suite F, North Charleston, SC 29406 or at LowcountryRedCross.org.