St. Croix – March 10, 2023 – This March marks the 80th annual Red Cross Month as proclaimed by President Joseph R. Biden Jr., a national tradition that began in 1943 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first Red Cross Month proclamation. Decades later, the humanitarian spirit lives in the heart of our community volunteers – everyday heroes who rally together to provide relief and hope when help can’t wait.
This year, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. issued a proclamation (attached) encouraging Virgin Islanders to honor the lifesaving legacy of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, noting: “I hereby recognize the month of March as Red Cross Month in honor of all those who fulfil Clara Barton’s noble words, ‘You must never think of anything but the need and how to meet it’.”
“The month of March is a special time for the Red Cross, especially here in USVI,” says Tina Beazer, Executive Director. “We are fortunate to celebrate both Red Cross Month and Virgin Islands History Month simultaneously, and we are grateful to Governor Bryan for highlighting the humanitarian spirit of our island community.”
OUR HISTORY ON THE ISLANDS
With more than a century of compassionate service, the Red Cross of the U.S. Virgin Islands traces its history back to 1904, when the islands were still under the rule of Denmark.
The first local Chapter, then known as the Santa Cruz Chapter, was chartered on December 12, 1917, after the islands had become U.S. territory. The name was formally changed to the St. Croix Chapter in 1963. A Chapter dedicated to the islands of St. Thomas and St. John was chartered May 9, 1918, expanding services to the three islands.
In the summer of 1920, a cadre of social workers, librarians, and nurses from the American Red Cross on the mainland traveled to the recently acquired U.S. Virgin Islands. This led to the establishment of nursing programs in local schools and the establishment of the Territory’s first library, St. Thomas Public Library, which still operates today.
Humanitarian disaster relief activities soon followed when Hurricane Gale passed directly over the Territory on August 28, 1924. This storm devastated the island of St. John, causing at least 100 casualties. Red Cross then expanded services beyond disaster relief to include emergency preparedness, working to enhance community resilience and reduce human suffering.
In September 2017, Category 5 Hurricanes Irma and Maria tore through the territory within two weeks of each other, with Irma pummeling St. Thomas and St. John, followed by Maria’s devastation of St. Croix. In response to these disasters, the Red Cross worked with partners to provide vital aid for residents with communications and power out across the islands. In the immediate aftermath, we worked to support sheltering for island residents who had lost their homes, as well as feeding and emotional support. For some survivors who remained on the islands but went weeks without power, Red Cross volunteers visited residents in their homes to assess their needs and provided items like generators and clean up kits.
Today, the Red Cross of USVI is preparing to meet the next crisis head on while also conducting numerous programs in preparing the community for disasters. National Red Cross programs such as the Home Fire (Safety) Campaign, Youth Disaster Preparedness and Be Red Cross Ready help educate the Virgin Islands community. On January 28, Red Cross workers partnered with the Virgin Islands Fire Service and several community organizations to install smoke alarms in communities on St. Croix and St. Thomas, while scheduling future appointments for St. John. More than 70 families were served in one day, with 138 free smoke alarms installed and home fire safety education conducted. Staff and volunteers continue to hold trainings, exercises, and meetings in preparation for any unforeseen disaster that may arrive on our shores.
JOIN US
The American Red Cross is an organization for the people, by the people. The backbone of the Red Cross is our volunteers who represent over 90% of Red Cross workforce on the islands. Without their dedication, our mission would not be possible.
Our need for volunteers is constant. New volunteers can expect to gain expertise that will be useful in day-to-day life and new skills can be learned while gaining the satisfaction of helping your own community, your own neighbors. Consider becoming a Red Crosser today! Apply online at redcross.org/usvi or call 340-778-5104 (St. Croix) or 340-774-0375 (St. Thomas).
WAYS TO PARTICIPATE
We invite Virgin Islanders to participate in Red Cross Month and make a difference in our community:
The American Red Cross of the U.S. Virgin Islands has offices in St. Croix and St. Thomas (serving St. Thomas, St. John and the Water Island districts). Call us at 340-778-5104 (St. Croix) or 340-774-0375 (St. Thomas). For more information, please visit redcross.org/USVI or facebook.com/RedCrossUSVI.
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.
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