Robin Ebert Mays, community programs director for Hattiesburg's South Central Mississippi Chapter, said the approximately 800 square-foot office at 110 East Monticello St. has all the organization needs to operate effectively, including office and storage space, a private area to meet with clients and an Internet connection to process their claims. She said the space is being rented at a reduced price from downtown developer John Lynch.

"It's an excellent location," Mays said of the office. "We're downtown, we're visible and we're close to the chamber, the courthouse and the radio station. And, (clients) won't have to drive all over town looking for our office."

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new office is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, at 10 a.m. After the ceremony, the office will officially be in operation.

Service Center Coordinator Kimberly Brown, of Silver Creek, will man the office five days per week, helping victims of fires, floods and other disasters get back on their feet. Brown will teach at least three Red Cross classes -CPR, First Aid and AED (using an automated external defibrillator - and plans to undergo training that will allow her to teach more classes.

"I felt like becoming a part of the Red Cross would open doors for me," Brown said of her new position. "It will allow me to use my health care administration degree and give back to my community."

Mays said her search for office space in Brookhaven had grown desperate until she recently noticed the "for rent" sign in the Red Cross's new office. An office space was secured in January in McComb - the only other major city in the newly formed Mid-South Service Area that serves Franklin, Lawrence, Lincoln and Pike counties - but the Brookhaven search was difficult, she said.

The search for a new office began in October 2008, almost immediately after the Mid-South Mississippi Chapter disbanded and reformed as the Mid-South Service Area - under Hattiesburg's direction - to clear approximately $25,000 in debt to the national organization.

Though long gone from Brookhaven and McComb, the Mid-South Mississippi Chapter's charter was officially voided last week, Mays said, opening the door for a reformation. But like all non-profits, the Red Cross has also experienced a decline in donations and steady revenue must be secured from the local communities before a chapter can be chartered, she said.

"The financial situation is not good - we are affected by the economy as much as any other organization," Mays said. "We're going to have to have community support. We are recruiting volunteers and asking for donations. We are in the works for a news letter to announce our return to the area and former and current volunteers and businesses."

Mays said the Red Cross would spend the coming months building its capacity and strengthening its relationships with local supporters and partners.

In the meantime, Red Cross outreach programs and disaster assistance continue. A class on client case work will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at the State Room, and a pot luck dinner celebrating Red Cross volunteers is scheduled for Thursday, May 14, at 5:30 p.m. at the Lincoln County Multi-Purpose Facility.

Anyone interested in attending the classes or volunteering with the Red Cross may contact her at 601-582-8151, or Brown at 601-833-2771.