March is Red Cross Month
How We Started. Where We’re Going.
The tradition of March being declared Red Cross Month began in 1943 with a proclamation from President Franklin D. Roosevelt and for more than 75 years, all U.S. presidents have designated this month.
For generations, Americans have answered the call to help—standing together through war, disaster, and uncertainty. Red Cross Month honors this shared history of service and hope.
That same spirit lives on today, right here in Idaho and East Oregon. Every day, people in our community roll up their sleeves to help neighbors recover, prepare, and thrive.
Together, we’ve made an impact—and together, we will continue to make a difference.
Our Impact, Right Here in Your Community
Collected 97,770 units of lifesaving blood at 1,829 blood drives
Installed 1,245 smoke alarms and made 504 homes safter
Supported 9,706 military families though our Service to the Armed Forces program
Trained 9,888 people in lifesaving skills like CPR, First Aid and AED
Stories from Your Local Red Cross
When retired firefighter Troy Souza walked into the Flying Pickle in Meridian, Idaho, on Father’s Day weekend, he didn’t expect his decades of first-responder training to be called upon again — or that his quick response would help save a stranger’s life.
Troy, retired after 37 years as a firefighter in Santa Cruz, Calif., had just finished a long morning of pickleball and was getting ready to leave when another group asked him to play. He finished that game and then paused to watch pickleball on the lounge TV — a small decision that proved critical.
On a nearby court, Chuck Seeley, 70, was suffering a heart attack.
Amber Hanson was a healthy 26-year-old who had never had a reason to think about the importance of blood donation. But that all changed in 2020 when she suddenly noticed her health was declining.
She began experiencing nose bleeds, bruising, night sweats and extreme fatigue. A series of tests revealed she had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
“Essentially my bone marrow was so full of cancer that they were spilling out into my bloodstream,” Amber said.
'Red Cross had our backs' during apartment fire, Nampa man says
Lifesaving love: How Red Cross training made all the difference for Boise family
Surviving the Impossible: Motorcycle Crash Victim’s Lifeline Came from Blood Donors
A new mission: How one Idaho veteran found purpose helping neighbors in crisis
Inspired to Help?
Your donation brings hope to our community—shelter, food, and support for families in need.
Donate today.
Volunteering brings purpose, connection, and hope—to others and to you.
Take the first step today.
Every two seconds, a life depends on blood. Your donation can bring hope to a child, a mom, a family.
From First Aid to CPR, Red Cross training prepares you to protect your loved ones and your community.
What Your Gift Can Provide
In a disaster, children and families often lose their home and are left exposed to the elements. $25 can provide 5 warm blankets to protect them from the cold and help them sleep comfortably in emergency shelters.
Give a gift to make sure no family goes hungry after a disaster strikes by supporting our shelter kitchens and mobile feeding. $55 can provide a hot meal and snacks to 5 people after a disaster.
Give a gift to show our heroes and veterans you care. Help volunteers warmly welcome service members and veterans at medical facilities. Your gift of $145 can provide 20 kits filled with toiletries and other essentials to make them feel at home.
When disaster strikes, parents can lose everything — including essentials they need to keep their babies healthy while staying at an emergency shelter. $150 can provide a crib for a family in need.
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood — a mother giving birth, a child with cancer, a neighbor in an accident and countless others. $200 can help ensure that the life-saving gift of blood will be available whenever and wherever it is needed.
Emergencies can force families to leave their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs. $200 can provide a full day of emergency shelter for a family of 4 impacted by disaster, including 3 meals, 2 blankets, 1 cot, snacks and personal hygiene supplies.
Help families affected by disasters around the world. A gift of $625 can provide four families of five with a complete emergency kit, including hygiene supplies, blankets, tarps, water containers, a kitchen set and a crank-powered lamp, radio and charger.
