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American Red Cross says “Thanks for Giving”
Written by
Leigh-Anne Dennison
, Manager, RedCross.org
Monday, November 13, 2006 — Days are shorter and chillier, trees are dressed in autumnal hues of gold, brown, orange and red and familiar comfort foods cook away as thoughts turn to family, friends and blessings to be counted — it is a time for reflection and for giving thanks.
Gratitude is a year-round theme at the American Red Cross, an organization that depends on the generosity of donors of all types from all walks of life to support its mission to provide assistance wherever and whenever it is needed—around the clock and around the world. Even so, the Red Cross takes an opportunity at this time of year to say again “thanks for giving” to the thousands of contributors across the country who support the organization.
American Red Cross thank you ad placed in the
New York Times Giving section, Nov. 13, 2006.
(Image Credit: American Red Cross)
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Today, the Red Cross is expressing that appreciation to its donors with a full-page advertisement in special giving section of the New York Times. The placement acknowledges and recognizes the public — those tens of thousands of individuals who choose to support the organization — while highlighting some of the exceptional contributions that have been made to the Red Cross during the last year.
“The holiday season provides one more chance for us to reach out to those who entrusted us to help on their behalf — who made it possible through their gifts of blood, money and time to provide lifesaving programs and services in their communities and in neighborhoods across the country and around the world,” said Red Cross director of communications for fundraising Kara Bunte. “We offer our thanks not only for what has been given to us but for what we have been able to give others because of the generosity of those contributions.”
Many of the monetary donations received at the Red Cross are designated by the giver to support a particular disaster or to support a specific type of program or service, such as the ones provided to members of the military and their families. However, gifts that are undesignated—that are made to the Red Cross for use where its need is greatest — can be spread across many programs and services, to fill gaps in funding and even cover expenses that ensure supplies and human resources are available and ready when they are needed. For example, general funds may cover the costs associated with training volunteers or implementing infrastructures that will maintain integrity when disaster strikes, enabling the organization to respond quickly and efficiently.
“The funding that helps us to preposition materials, maintain buildings and equipment and train staff — both volunteer and paid — ensures that the American Red Cross will be able to respond when a tornado blows through a town or when heavy rains cause flash flooding across a state,” said Bunte. “It’s important that people understand how critical those day-in, day-out operating expenses are to the upkeep of the organization as well as how valued their support — in non-disaster times — is to our ability to respond when disaster does strike and helps with all of our other services as well.”
“We offer our thanks not only for what has been given to us but for what we have been able to give others because of the generosity of those contributions,” said Red Cross director of communications for fundraising Kara Bunte, like the hot meals this woman received after a tornado devastated her community in Dyer County, Tenn., in April 2006.
(Photo Credit: Dave Murray/American Red Cross)
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According to Bunte, while the focus of its ‘thanks for giving’ message is acknowledgement and recognition of all contributors to the Red Cross, an equally important part of being good stewards of those donated dollars is letting the contributors know where, when and how their gifts have been used — sharing with them how they have made a difference in someone else’s life. This also further supports the Red Cross commitment to transparency, particularly when it comes to financial donations.
This article is the first in a series “Thanks for Giving” articles that will be published this holiday season. The articles will talk about how the public — including individuals, businesses and foundations—supports the Red Cross and how the organization uses contributions of all types in supporting its fundamental principal to alleviate human suffering and protect life and health.
To learn more about American Red Cross services in your community and around the world, visit the organization’s public Web site, RedCross.org or contact your local Red Cross chapter.
The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.
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