LDS Church, Salt Lake Red Cross helping

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter of the American Red Cross have begun efforts to help Floridians affected by tornadoes that touched down early Friday across a five-county area north of Orlando.

The church is providing tarps and cleaning kits and distributing them in coordination with local emergency operations centers. More than 400 LDS volunteers from the Orlando area are expected to participate in cleanup efforts today and as needed.

All missionaries and church members in the affected area were reported safe, a church news release says.

The local Red Cross is supporting the efforts in Florida to provide food, water and shelter to those affected. The agency's national Web site, www.redcross.org features a secure section called Safe and Well where people in the affected area can register information that friends and family elsewhere can access.

Those who learn the status of friends or family from other sources can also register the information through Safe and Well.

The Red Cross also accepts donations and will specify them for the affected area, if the request is made at the time of the donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish).

Contributions may be sent to the local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.utahredcross.org.