ARLINGTON — Oso resident Tim Ward was one of those hit hardest by the March 22 slide.

“He was just stepping out of the shower when the slide hit,” said Bob Dolhanyk, regional long-term recovery manager for the American Red Cross’ Snohomish County chapter, who noted that Ward’s wife was killed, while Ward himself incurred injuries, including a crushed pelvis. “The Red Cross assisted with his hospitalization, a wheelchair and some clothing. We’ve helped retrofit his daughter’s house with accommodations, such as hand-assists in the bathroom.”

The Red Cross has received more than $35,000, to help those affected by the Oso slide, from Papa Murphy’s Pizza.

Chuck Morrison, the Red Cross’ regional executive director, was presented with a check for $35,511 from Emily Thompson, division marketing manager for the 96 Papa Murphy’s locations in Western Washington at the Arlington restaurant Oct. 8.

Morrison said the Red Cross already has offered four shelters and one on standby right after the slide, and transportation help for Darrington residents who saw their commutes to jobs in Arlington extended by more than two hours.

Dolhanyk elaborated that the Red Cross has worked with churches and family resource centers on both sides of the slide, along with roughly 30 other regional agencies, to enact measures ranging from emergency kits for Stillaguamish Valley residents to the systematic treatment of slide survivors’ mental and emotional health.

“We’re looking to make this available to all the family members and first responders,” said Morrison, who also pledged to offer assistance to food banks in Arlington and Darrington, “since we understand that the food people gave in the wake of the slide might otherwise take away from what the food banks would receive during the holiday season.”

Not only will Papa Murphy’s donation help fund those programs, but it also will help the Red Cross offer counselors to grades K-8 in Darrington for the next two-plus years, in addition to bringing in peer counseling for firefighters and other first responders.

“We know they might not respond as well to professional counselors,” Morrison said.

Thompson explained that Papa Murphy’s Western Washington restaurants raised the money through donation boxes and $2 from every pizza sold May 19.

“We also sent trailers from our Anacortes and Mukilteo stores to feed firefighters on the scene,” Thompson said. “Some of our employees even joined in the search-and-rescue efforts.”

“It just felt good to give back,” said Corinne Jennings, manager of the Arlington restaurant. “A lot of the folks who were hit hardest were our customers.”