March is Red Cross Month

A Red Cross volunteer offers comfort and support to a fire victim.

Red Cross Asks People to Join During Red Cross Month

Organization Helping Those in Need for 130 Years

Cape Girardeau, MO -- March is Red Cross Month, and the American Red Cross is asking people to join them in helping those in need by volunteering their time, making a donation, taking a class, or giving blood. "When someone provides a hot meal to a disaster victim, gives blood, takes a first aid class, or helps someone in the military, they join the Red Cross," said Cheryl Klueppel, Executive Director for the Southeast MO Chapter. "We want to say thank you to all who support us. That support enables us to provide help and hope to those who need our assistance."

For nearly 100 years, U.S. Presidents have called on people to support the American Red Cross and its humanitarian mission. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first to proclaim March as Red Cross Month in 1943. Since that time, President Obama and every president since have issued proclamations designating March as Red Cross Month.

The Red Cross has been helping people for 130 years, responding to disasters, assisting members of the military, teaching lifesaving skills, and serving as one of the largest blood suppliers in the United States. Nationally, the Red Cross responds to an average of nearly 200 disasters every day. The organization provides a round-the-clock link between those in the military and their families, and supplies blood and blood products to approximately 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country.

"We work diligently to help those in need," Klueppel, said. "Whether out on a disaster, alongside our troops, at a blood drive or in a first aid class, Red Cross workers touch the lives of millions of people every year." The Red Cross is not a government agency and relies on donations of time, money and blood to do its work. "When people join the Red Cross by volunteering, donating blood, taking a course or making a contribution, they enable us to continue our work, both here at home, and around the world," Cheryl Klueppel said.

In 2010 the Southeast Missouri Chapter helped 219 families affected by disaster and home fires with emergency food, shelter, and supplies. The Chapter also trained over 13,000 individuals in lifesaving skills through the classes they offer. They also provided over 250 emergency connections for military families. In 2010 Red Cross blood drives collected over 12,000 units of blood. These efforts would not be possible without the help of volunteers.

Join the Red Cross in celebrating Red Cross Month this March. To learn more about Red Cross Month and other Red Cross programs and services, please visit www.semoredcross.org or www.redcross.org.

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The American Red Cross is a charity, not a government agency, and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission.