The Red Cross is powered by our volunteer heroes who give of their time, talents and compassion.
It’s Red Cross Month and the American Red Cross Rhode Island is asking people across Rhode Island to become a hero by giving blood, becoming a volunteer or making a donation to #help1family on Giving Day – March 28.
“The Red Cross is powered by our volunteer heroes who give of their time, talents and compassion to fulfill our vital humanitarian mission of preventing and alleviating human suffering,” said Susan Roberts, Executive Director, American Red Cross Rhode Island. “They are people from your neighborhood who teach First Aid and CPR classes, who support those in need at what may be the worst time in their lives. We honor them during Red Cross Month and ask you to consider joining us and making a difference.”
March was first proclaimed Red Cross Month in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to raise awareness of the organization and its humanitarian mission. President Roosevelt’s last radio talk to the nation on March 20, 1945 was in support of the Red Cross War Fund. He died 23 days later, on April 12, 1945.
This year the Red Cross salutes all the heroes who make a difference in their communities by:
Volunteering to help people impacted by a disaster
Taking a first aid or CPR class to help in an emergency
Providing comfort to a member of the military, a veteran or their family
Home fires are the most common disasters that the Red Cross responds to each year. Here in Rhode Island, we responded to more than 300 home fires in the last year. Volunteers drop everything – at any time of the day or night – to help people who have lost everything. “These are the moments when I can witness strangers helping other strangers in their greatest moments of need,” said Red Cross volunteer Cindy Huge. Read more about why Huge leaves her home in the middle of the night to her others: https://redcrosschat.org/2017/12/05/compassion-after-a-home-fire/.
WHAT WE DO The Red Cross has been helping people in need for more than 130 years. And much of our work is accomplished through the work of our volunteers. The Red Cross:
Responds to nearly 64,000 disasters across the country providing hope and comfort to people in need.
Trains and provides information to nearly 5.9 million people in first aid, water safety and other skills that help save lives.
Collects nearly 4.9 million units of blood from more than 2.8 million volunteer donors to meet the needs of patients at hospitals and transfusion centers across the country.
Provides nearly 391,000 support services to military members, veterans and their families.
Helps more than 181 million people outside the U.S. through disaster management and disease prevention efforts.
Locally, Rhode Island the Red Cross responded to 310 local incidents, including fires, power outages, hazardous materials releases, transportation accidents and storms. We provided immediate disaster assistance to 575 families in the form of emergency shelter; food; clothing; children’s items; and other household needs. In addition, more than 1,900 smoke alarms were installed as part of the Home Fire Campaign.
The Rhode Island Red Cross has several ways for the community to help us celebrate March is Red Cross Month this March! The 13th Annual Red Cross Heroes Ball will take place on Saturday, March 3 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, for more information visit: redcross.org/redcrossball. As part of Red Cross Month, we are also asking community members to sign up to volunteer with us for our Sound the Alarm. Save a Life. event on May 5. Visit soundthealarm.org/rhodeisland to learn more and to sign up. On March 27, we will be turning the Rhode Island Skyline Red to celebrate March is Red Cross Month. The Harlem Globetrotters will be in Providence at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on March 31. The Red Cross is the official charity partner through the team’s Great Assist initiative to help people in Rhode Island prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters big and small. For more information about donating visit Redcross.org/HarlemGlobetrotters. On March 28, you can #help1family during Red Cross Giving Day:
GIVING DAY The Red Cross is asking everyone to support people impacted by disasters and #help1family on Giving Day – Wednesday, March 28. Your donation can help provide hope and urgent relief such as food, blankets and other essentials to people who need it most. Giving Day is a 24-hour fundraising campaign supporting the work of the Red Cross, helping people across the country in need of emergency assistance. Donate now by visiting redcross.org/givingday, or by texting REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10.
During March, be a hero and join the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross.
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.
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