March has been celebrated as Red Cross Month since 1943, when  President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first Red Cross Month proclamation — and each U.S. president has followed ever since, highlighting the importance of the Red Cross and its volunteers in communities across the country.

This March, the Northeast Chapter of the Indiana Region Red Cross invites you to make a difference! As a volunteer with our Disaster Action Team (DAT), you can assist families impacted by disasters, such as home fires, and provide comfort and support during their time of need. Join us for a DAT training bootcamp in Auburn, Indiana on Saturday, March 15!

Call to Action – Disaster Action Team Bootcamp
Saturday, March 15, 2025
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Fortify Life, 1710 N. Main St., Auburn, Indiana

This one-day training session will equip you with the necessary skills to respond in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. You’ll learn about local disaster response, including casework and assisting families, from certified and experienced instructors who are members of the Disaster Action Team. No experience is required – just your desire to help!

How to Register
Sign up today by visiting https://rdcrss.org/3CVS4MZ to create your Red Cross ID and register as a volunteer for this free training session. For more information, please call (260) 888-9725.

Volunteers at the Heart of the Red Cross
Did you know that volunteers make up 90% of the Red Cross workforce? Every day, volunteers help those impacted by disasters, assist with blood drives, and support communities in preparing for emergencies. You can be a part of this life-saving mission.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP – You can help ensure no one faces an emergency alone by donating blood and learning lifesaving skills like first aid, CPR or how to use an AED.

You can also make a financial donation at redcross.org/GivingDay on March 26 to support people with disaster services such as emergency shelter, food, relief supplies, basic health care, emotional support and financial assistance.

Blood Donation and A1C Screening
During the month of March, the Red Cross is helping to bridge access to health care for blood donors by providing free A1C testing, commonly used to screen for diabetes and prediabetes, on all successful blood, platelet and plasma donations in March.

According to the CDC, some 90% of people living with diabetes in the U.S. have Type 2, a largely preventable and often reversible insulin-resistant condition that can cause dangerously high blood sugar levels. Left untreated, Type 2 diabetes can lead to serious health complications, such as kidney failure, stroke and heart issues.

The Red Cross will begin the month-long free A1C screening for successful donations starting on March 1. Donors can expect to receive the results of their test within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App or online donor portal, and they are encouraged to consult their health care provider if their A1C level is elevated. A1C is the latest health insight that the Red Cross provides to blood, platelet and plasma donors, who can already access ongoing donation information such as pulse, blood pressure, body temperature and hemoglobin levels.

One-third of people lack access to regular primary care in the U.S., where diabetes affects 1 in 10 people and nearly a quarter of those living with it have been undiagnosed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The free A1C screening aims to help address this gap by empowering blood donors with valuable information to maintain their health and well-being. This new offering is among the longtime work of the Red Cross to support the health of communities, which also includes disaster relief efforts such as basic disaster health and mental health services among other assistance.

Visit RedCrossBlood.org, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App or call 1-800-RED CROSS to book a time to give in March and learn more about your health. Additionally, all who come to give blood, platelets or plasma March 1-31 will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. See RedCrossBlood.org/March for details on both offers.  

Click the links below to access B-roll:

• Disaster
•  Blood Donation

About the American Red Cross Indiana Region:
The American Red Cross of Indiana Region serves 6.9 million people in 104 counties in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio through its chapters: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, and Greater Indianapolis (Regional Headquarters). 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 us at Redcross.org/Indiana or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @indianaredcross. LinkedIn: American Red Cross of Indiana.