Red Cross Month: Our Volunteers Make a Difference

During American Red Cross Month, we honor our volunteer heroes who give their time and talent to help people in need. More than 90 percent of the American Red Cross workforce is represented by volunteers who fulfill our lifesaving mission.

Last year more than 300,000 individuals volunteered their time for the Red Cross. Are you looking for a way to make a difference? Become a Red Cross volunteer – there are lots of ways you can help. Here are some examples:

• Does responding to a disaster appeal to you? Most of the 60,000-plus crises that the Red Cross responds to each year are local, personal disasters like home fires. Trained and available, Disaster Action Team volunteers are ready to respond to these emergencies, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, offering a shoulder to cry on, meeting any immediate needs for shelter or supplies, or connecting people with long term recovery services. Learn more.
• How about helping hospital patients by working with Biomedical Services as a Blood Donor Ambassador or Blood Transportation Specialist? Opportunities vary by location.
  • Volunteer blood donor ambassadors help ensure that blood donors have a pleasant and fulfilling experience, from the moment they arrive at a blood drive to the moment they leave. They greet donors, answer questions or thank them for their donation. Find out more.
  • Volunteer Transportation Specialists deliver lifesaving blood products from Red Cross distribution facilities to hospitals for patients in need, using a Red Cross-owned vehicle. They typically work two to four four-hour shifts a month. Learn more.
• Would you like to support our Services to the Armed Forces program by being a member of our Hero Care Network? Red Cross volunteers help members of the military, veterans and their families prepare for, cope with, and respond to the challenges of military service.
  • Red Cross volunteers help provide critical services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year — to serve military members and their families at home and around the world.
  • They help military families communicate with loved ones and facilitate their return home during emergencies through our Hero Care Network, which is available online, by phone, through our mobile app or in person.
  • Red Cross volunteers help offer free behavioral health services through a variety of workshops to military families, both before and after deployments.
  • They also provide volunteer services to our recovering wounded warriors and their families in military treatment facilities and hospitals, and support caregivers who care for our nation’s military and veterans.

These are just a few of the ways you can make a difference as a Red Cross volunteer. We’ll help find the position that appeals to you and allows you to use your skills and talents. Join us. Make a difference. Volunteer.

To find out more, including how to apply, visit redcross.org/volunteer.