Atlanta, GA – February 28, 2019—March is American Red Cross Month and Georgia’s Red Cross is asking people to be a hero for families in need by becoming a volunteer, learning lifesaving skills, giving blood or donating to #help1family on Red Cross Giving Day, March 27.
It’s been 75 years since President Franklin D. Roosevelt first proclaimed March as Red Cross Month to raise awareness of the organization and its humanitarian mission. All U.S. presidents since Roosevelt have continued the tradition, recognizing how the Red Cross, powered by a workforce that’s 90 percent volunteers, helps people across the country and around the world.
“During Red Cross Month, we are proud to recognize our volunteers who provide hope and urgent relief to families in need every day,” said Jennifer Pipa, CEO for Georgia’s Red Cross. “These heroes are our neighbors who give blood, save lives with skills like first aid and CPR, and provide care and comfort to families devastated by tragic emergencies, like home fires.”
EVERY DAY, VOLUNTEERS HELP Every eight minutes in the U.S., the Red Cross connects with a family who has lost everything to a home fire or other disaster—the roof over their heads, their clothes, their most cherished possessions.
Just last week in Georgia, volunteers assisted another 229 people affected by home fires, bringing the total number of fire responses in Georgia since January 1st to 496. Last year, volunteers statewide provided shelter, hot meals, new clothing, health services and emotional support for nearly 4,400 families following more than 2,900 local disasters –ranging from daily home fires to large-scale emergencies like Hurricane Michael, the third strongest hurricane in U.S. history.
How you can celebrate Red Cross Month
· Connect: Visit our website at www.redcross.org/georgia. Like, Share, and Retweet posts on Georgia Red Cross channels: Facebook (@redcrossgeorgia), Instagram (@georgiaredcross), and Twitter (@GARedCross).
· Become a volunteer: Help families affected by disasters and install lifesaving smoke alarms to keep neighbors safe from home fires. In some areas, you can also provide emergency assistance for military members and veterans or help reconnect families separated by international conflict.
· Give blood: Make an appointment to donate lifesaving blood or platelets.
· Learn lifesaving skills: Register for a class to learn first aid, CPR and other skills.
· Encourage others to #help1family: On March 27—American Red Cross Giving Day—donate at redcross.org/givingday . Financial gifts can provide hope and urgent relief, like food, shelter and other essentials, for families who need it most.
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.
