MARCH IS RED CROSS MONTH
March is American Red Cross Month, a time to recognize the efforts of the professionals and volunteers who constitute the caring and compassionate organization.
Inspired by the International Red Cross, Clara Barton founded the American version of the humanitarian agency in 1881. Early efforts centered on assisting the U.S. military with various relief programs along with serving as a medium of communication between members of the American armed forces and their families. Prior to World War I, the Red Cross introduced its first aid, water safety and public nursing programs. A national blood program, for use by the armed forces, was initiated during World War II. Following the war the Red Cross introduced the first nationwide civilian blood program that now supplies nearly 50 percent of the blood and blood products in this country.
The American Red Cross has maintained a significant presence in nearly every New York community for more than 100 years. Currently comprised of 31 chapters and the New York-Penn Blood Region, the Red Cross helps prepare New Yorkers for disasters, provides assistance when disasters strike, and is the primary provider of blood products in 46 counties in the state. Almost twenty-two thousand volunteers work with the Red Cross in New York alone.
Last year, Red Cross chapters in New York responded to almost four-thousand local disasters assisting twenty one-thousand people. Over $3.3 million in direct financial assistance was provided to disaster victims for food, clothing, shelter, baby supplies, and other basic but essential needs.
Along with providing vital disaster response, the Red Cross is also responsible for readying communities before tragedy strikes. Chapters prepare New Yorkers for both natural and manmade disasters offering programs that teach families, school children and businesses the steps to take to prepare for disasters and how to react during and after disasters occur.
Chapters also teach how to prevent injuries and respond calmly when an emergency strikes. Last year nearly 600,000 New Yorkers took courses in adult, child and infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), basic first aid, babysitting, and water safety.
The Red Cross also continues its work with those serving in the military. Through the American Red Cross in New York State’s Services to the Armed Forces program, emergency messages and urgent news are delivered to service members and/or sent to their families. The program also assists service members that require immediate leave in the event of family emergencies. Last year, chapters in New York assisted nearly seven-thousand service men and women and their families through this program.
Of course, many people come into contact with the Red Cross by donating blood. Last year the New York-Penn Blood Services Region collected more than 400,000 units of blood and distributed approximately 740,000 blood products to 120 hospitals throughout the state. Donating blood is a simple thing to do, but can make a big difference in the lives of others.
While the Red Cross is always in need of blood donors, due to recent winter storms, blood collections in the month of January were the lowest in a decade. You can help ensure an adequate blood supply by signing up to donate at a nearby drive. Information on drive dates and locations can be found on-line at www.redcrossblood.org.
Red Cross helps those in need during their darkest hour, along with providing many vital community services. When families, senior citizens and entire communities have nowhere else to turn, local Red Cross volunteers are there to help. Whether responding to disasters, collecting and distributing blood, teaching lifesaving skills or supporting military members and their families, the Red Cross is a trusted partner offering compassionate and skilled assistance. I am proud to join in recognizing the Red Cross during the month of March.
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