DETROIT (Feb. 7, 2023) – For the sixth year in a row, Michigan taxpayers can support the American Red Cross in Michigan by making a contribution from their 2022 state income tax return.

Taxpayers may contribute $5, $10 or an amount of their choosing by completing Form 4642, called the Michigan Voluntary Contributions Schedule, and including it as part of their tax documents. The American Red Cross Michigan Fund is listed first on Page 2 of the form.

On average, 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in the humanitarian services it provides.

“Every single donation makes a difference in someone’s life,” said Mary Lynn Foster, regional chief executive officer for the Red Cross Michigan Region. “These donations help to provide food, shelter, relief supplies and comfort when people need it most.”

The Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters a year, and the majority are home fires. In 2022, Red Cross team members and volunteers responded to more than 2,000 home fires across the state, the majority of which occurred in southeast Michigan.

Home fires claim seven lives a day in the U.S. but working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half. Since 2014, the Red Cross has been installing free smoke alarms and sharing fire safety information in at-risk communities across the country as part of its Home Fire Campaign. In 2022, Red Cross team members and volunteers installed more than 6,700 smoke alarms in homes throughout Michigan.

Since 2019, there has been a six-fold increase in the annual number of disasters causing $1

billion or more in damage, compared to 40 years ago. This relentless pace of severe

disasters have created more ongoing emergency needs – including for families who have

been displaced year after year by extreme weather.

Here are some ways a contribution will support the important work of the Red Cross:

• $5 Provides five hot cups of coffee, tea, or cocoa, offered by Red Cross workers at shelters or through mobile distribution with emergency response vehicles, in communities impacted by a disaster. These beverages bring comfort, warmth, and a moment of rest to displaced residents in their time of need.
• $10 Provides disaster preparedness education through programs like Be Red Cross Ready and Hands Only CPR or youth programs like Prepare with Pedro. Being prepared may not prevent a disaster, but it can enhance resilience in the communities served by the Red Cross.
• $26 Covers the cost of providing emergency communications and critical community services to a military family, through the Hero Care Center. These communications services allow military personnel to stay connected with their family in the event of a birth of a child or grandchild or a family emergency.
• ·$50 Provides a full day of food and shelter for a displaced resident in the aftermath of a disaster. This includes three meals, the costs to mobilize and distribute a cot, two blankets, and a comfort kit, as well as the costs to support the Red Cross workers providing this service.

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MEDIA CONTACT: David Olejarz / david.olejarz@redcross.org / 313-303-0606

About the American Red Cross 
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.