March is Red Cross Month and the Community is Encouraged to Join the Movement
March 4, 2013
COLUMBIA, SC – March 4, 2013 – March is American Red Cross Month and is a time for community members and businesses to join the Red Cross movement and help carry out its lifesaving mission with a gift of time, money or blood.
March was first proclaimed as Red Cross Month 70 years ago by resident Franklin D. Roosevelt. Since 1943, every president, including President Obama, has designated March as Red Cross Month. The American Red Cross is synonymous with helping people, and has been doing so for more than 130 years.
Red Cross Month is a great time for people to become part of the Red Cross and there are many different ways to do it, said Louise Welch Williams, regional chief executive officer, American Red Cross, Palmetto SC Region. They can develop a preparedness plan for their household, take a lifesaving class, become a Red Cross volunteer, give blood, or make a financial donation.
The Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters a year in this country, providing shelter, food, emotional support and other necessities to those affected. It provides 24-hour support to members of the military, veterans and their families – in war zones, military hospitals and on military installations around the world; collects and distributes about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply and trains more than seven million people in first aid, water safety and other life-saving skills every year.
Last year in our community, the Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 1,272 adults and children that were affected by a disaster, handled 1,688 military emergency communications, trained 12,284 people in lifesaving skills and collected 109, 881 red blood cells and 27, 677 platelets. The Central SC Chapter is part of the Palmetto SC Region, which serves 35 counties in South Carolina.
The Red Cross is not a government agency and relies on donations of time, money and blood to do its work. An average of 91 cents of every dollar given to the Red Cross is invested in helping people in need.
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 join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org. For blood donation opportunities near you, please visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
