ANCHORAGE, AK, October 17, 2018 - Through the support of the Richardson Spouse’s Club, Walmart Supercenter #2188 in Eagle River and #2071 Anchorage, and Alaska Regional Hospital, the American Red Cross of Alaska Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) program will be able to provide critical assistance to veterans when they need it most.

The Richardson Spouses’ Club donated $1,000 to support the Red Cross at this year’s VA Stand Down event. Donations for medical care kits were also generously donated by Alaska Regional Hospital, and Walmart provided enough supplies to stock 100 comfort kits. Donated items include:

About VA Stand Down
The VA Stand Down event will take place on Friday, October 19 from 8:30 am – 2:00 pm at the North Terminal of the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage.

• Doors will open for registration at 8:30 am. Registrants must bring a DD214, VA Card or Military ID.
• The opening ceremony will take place at 11:00 am.
• There will be free continental breakfast, coffee, and lunch available. Lunch will be served from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm.
• Registrants will be able to visit with over 50 service providers, including a community of care not limited to medical, legal, housing, employment and veterinary services.

Event Transportation Options
Princess Cruises will be offering free shuttles at the following locations:

• Northway Mall to North Terminal: Pick-ups begin at 8:00am and will continue on the hour and will return back to mall on the half hour. The last pick up will be at 1:00 pm.
• VA Domiciliary (3001 C Street) to North Terminal: Pick-ups will begin at 8:30 am and will continue on the half hour, with returns back to Domiciliary on the hour. The last pick-up will take place at 12:30 pm.

The Municipality of Anchorage is also providing free bus rides for veterans on the People Mover all day with a valid veteran’s ID. Bus number 40 serves the North Terminal of the airport.

Available for Interviews
Christy Cook, Red Cross of Alaska’s Regional Service to the Armed Forces Manager, will be available for interviews during the event. To schedule an interview, please contact Cari Dighton at (907) 782-7520.

About Red Cross of Alaska Services to the Armed Forces (SAF)
The SAF program dates back to the establishment of the American Red Cross by Clara Barton in May 1881. Not only did the “Angel of the Battlefield” risk her life tending to soldiers wounded in the Civil War, she bolstered their morale by writing letters for them to send to their families.

Today’s American Red Cross workers proudly carry on this tradition through the SAF program, which serves as a critical line of communication between the U.S Armed Forces and their families.

The Red Cross of Alaska has SAF offices located on Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Ft. Wainwright, Bassett Army Hospital, Eielson Air Force Base, and Fort Greely, and is staffed by Red Cross employees and volunteers. However, SAF is available to assist service members, veterans and military families in every corner of Alaska, including all National Guard, Reserve and Coast Guard installations.

From July 2017 to June 2018, the Red Cross of Alaska:

• Taught 157 people to through Resiliency Workshops, which are designed to help families reconnect or work through the challenges and demands of military life.
• Made 3,803 SAF contacts, including emergency messages & urgent news delivered to service members and families during emergencies, including births, deaths, serious illness and injury to immediate family members. In the event that a service member needs emergency communication services, the Red Cross has volunteer caseworkers who are trained to intake, verify and deliver these messages.
• Briefed 11,894 individuals through the SAF ‘Get to Know Us' program. These briefings are provided at local events both on and off military installations.
  

About the American Red Cross of Alaska:
In FY18, the American Red Cross of Alaska offered food, shelter, comfort and hope to 892 Alaskans. We responded to 308 disasters. Our preparedness/Health and Safety teams installed 2,309 smoke alarms statewide and educated 1,722 youth through The Pillowcase Project. Additionally, our Service to the Armed Forces staff exchanged 1,161 emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/Alaska or visit us on Twitter at @redcrossak.