The American Red Cross does more good work than nearly any other organization in the country. They help millions of Americans every day, and no one knows when they might be the one who receives that aid. In honor of American Red Cross Month, here is a quick guide to the organization and how to get involved.
The American Red Cross has been around since 1881. The focus of the organization is on humanitarian relief efforts. Whenever tragedy strikes anywhere in the country, the American Red Cross is there to help people pick up the pieces and move on with their lives.
Most people know about the Red Cross through their work collecting blood donations. It is amazing to realize that the American Red Cross collects half of the blood that is donated every year in the United States. That is around 7 million pints every year.
Another way that lots of people know the American Red Cross is through their efforts in disaster relief. Whether it is a fire, flood, earthquake, tornado or hurricane, the organization is one of the first on the scene to help out the victims. Their first priority is to provide shelter, food and water to the victims.
Once the victims’ basic needs are met, then the Red Cross works with the victims to help them move on from the tragedy. They will help them to find a new place to live and to find funding sources to help them recover from their tragedies.
In honor of American Red Cross Month, many people like to get involved in any way they can. The organization is always accepting financial donations, but they also love to receive people looking to become volunteers. The American Red Cross would cease to function without volunteers. More than 95 percent of their workers are volunteers. Donating blood is another great way to get involved with the American Red Cross. Organizing a blood drive at your school or office is even better.
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