The Southwest Chapter of the American Red Cross Indiana Region is kicking off its Red Cross Month celebration on Monday, March 3 at 9:30 a.m. at the local Red Cross office, 29 S. Stockwell Road in Evansville.

City of Evansville officials will join us during the celebration to issue a Red Cross Month Proclamation and honor those who provide critical support in emergencies when help can't wait. Darla Hoover, Chief of Schools and Instructional Core for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation and Red Cross Board members will participate in the event alongside local students, community partners, and volunteers.

At this event, students, volunteers, and community partners will work together to assemble comfort kits, which will include brand-new stuffed animals donated by local students. These kits are distributed to families impacted by disasters, such as home fires, offering support and comfort in their time of need.

“During Red Cross Month, we proudly recognize the individuals who represent the best of humanity by stepping up to care for our neighbors in times of crisis,” said Beth Sweeney, executive director of the Southwest Chapter of the Indiana Region Red Cross. “As disasters become more intense across the country and families face everyday threats like home fires, the support of these local heroes is critical to the health of communities. You can join them to help ensure no one faces an emergency alone by volunteering, donating blood, taking a class to learn lifesaving skills, or making a financial gift.”

Red Cross Month is a national tradition that began in March 1943 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first Red Cross Month proclamation — and each U.S. president has followed ever since.

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.  

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.

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.