Corporations and organizations from across our state have partnered with the American Red Cross to help build safer and stronger communities.

Red Cross annual giving partners, including Annual Disaster Giving, Disaster Responder and Ready 365, provide ways for organizations to partner with the Red Cross to support our humanitarian mission, and stand with us as we provide lifesaving services to our community and our military families. Contributions through these programs enable the Red Cross to prepare communities for disasters, respond whenever and wherever disasters occur and help families during the recovery process. 

This year, partners in these annual giving programs helped to make sure the Red Cross was ready to respond to a devastating hurricane season. Starting in late August, the American Red Cross launched wide-ranging relief efforts to help people devastated by three historic back-to-back hurricanes—Harvey, Irma, and Maria—followed closely by the deadliest week of wildfires in California history. Our partners also help us make homes safer through our Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, help us to respond to disasters by supporting the purchase of Red Cross vehicles and help military families through our Service to the Armed Forces Programs.

“We are extremely grateful for our annual giving program members because they understand the importance of preparing and having vital resources in place before a disaster strikes.” said Mario Bruno, CEO, American Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region. “Their support ensures the Red Cross is able to work proactively to help families in our community be better prepared for disasters. We all saw the importance of being prepared to respond during the 2017 hurricane season. We are very thankful for their generous gifts as we work to help people impacted by disasters each and every day.”

Since late August, the Red Cross, along with community and government partners, has provided 1.3 million (1,329,200) overnight stays in emergency shelters. That’s more overnight shelter stays than the past 5 years combined. Shelters were opened in 8 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Red Cross volunteers are also in their local communities every day, teaching preparedness and helping people cope with disasters big and small across the United States. Annual giving from our partner corporations and organizations enable the Red Cross to improve community resilience in areas at higher risk for disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes and floods and, most commonly, house fires.

The current members of the Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region Annual Giving Programs are: Disaster Responder: United Technologies Corporation, Ready 365: Amica Insurance, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Avangrid Foundation, Cartus, CVS Health, Duracell, Legrand North America, National Grid, O.F. Mossberg & Sons Inc., Robinson + Cole LLP, Spectrum, Wells Fargo. Organizations interested in helping the Red Cross stand ready in the face of disasters, please visit: http://www.redcross.org/local/connecticut/donate/ready-365 for annual giving program opportunities.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members 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 or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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