Gearing Up in the Capital for the National Day of Giving
Tuesday, December 09, 2008 — The arrival of a frosty chill in the Washington, D.C. area is no match for Red Cross volunteers and employees as they get ready for the National Day of Giving for the American Red Cross, which takes place Saturday, December 13.
Along with chapters and blood service regions across the country, Red Cross workers in the D.C. metro region will be out in communities to collect donations for the Campaign for Disaster Relief. The Red Cross launched the campaign in September with the goal of raising $100 million for the Disaster Relief Fund.
Visitors who happen to be near the White House on Saturday will find the Red Cross offering doughnuts and hot chocolate outside their historic national headquarters building. Other area chapters will have volunteers collecting donations at school events, businesses and chapter offices, as well as at blood drives.
If you want to know what events are happening in your area on the National Day of Giving, contact your local chapter. Even if you can’t take part on December 13, there are several ways you can help the Red Cross meet its $100 million goal, which will go toward helping the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year:
- Donate to the Red Cross by going to www.redcross.org or calling 1-800-REDCROSS (for Spanish-speakers, 1-800-257-7575).
- Send contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund to your local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
- Use your cell phone to donate $5 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by text messaging the keyword “GIVE” (4483) to “2HELP” (24357).
- Shop the Red Cross online store at www.redcrossstore.org.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.
