American Red Cross - National Headquarters

Program Details

Operating Agency: American Red Cross - National Headquarters (Private, Nonprofit )

Person In Charge:

Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Eligibility: Disaster: must be a victim of a disaster (fire, tornado, etc.); Military: Must be active or discharged from military.

Fees: None

Intake Process: Call the nearest Red Cross office.

Service Area: Nationwide

Handicap Accessibility:

Program/Service Notes

The American Red Cross offers the following services: 1. Disaster Services: They help victims of disasters ranging from single-family house fires to major disasters such as hurricanes, floods and tornadoes. They help by providing food, clothing, shelter, and other emergency needs (free of charge). In addition, Red Cross chapters are involved long before disasters occur, by educating the community on how to stay safe should a disaster strike. Other services Red Cross disaster workers provide include: * repairing or rebuilding homes when other resources are not available to the family or prove inadequate * referring families for financial assistance from the government and other organizations * serving as liaison with other organizations and agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 2. Blood Services: Red Cross volunteers collect blood from volunteer blood donors. The Red Cross distributes the processed blood to help treat people suffering from many types of blood-related conditions. In addition, Red Cross scientists are continually doing research and testing blood for signs of infectious diseases. Other blood related services offered are: * Offering patients the opportunity to donate their own blood for certain kinds of surgery * Identifying and recruiting healthy blood donors to help ensure an adequate blood supply * Educating physicians and patients about blood and the latest techniques in blood transfusions * Conducting research to help improve the safety and therapeutic benefits of blood * Maintaining a national registry of thousands of volunteer donors who provide rare blood types to meet emergency needs * Lending technical assistance to hospitals, their blood banks, and medical staffs 3. Transplantation Services: Processes and distributes tissue products. Tissues include cornea for sight, temporal bone for hearing, skin for burn patients, heart valves for heart defects, bone for orthopedic procedures, tendon and ligaments, and other tissues. 4. Health and Safety Services: * Blood pressure screening, referral and follow-up * Red Cross first aid stations at public events * Red Cross home health care courses. * Red Cross home health aide training * Red Cross baby sitter training * Red Cross training for child care providers * Red cross first aid and water safety education * Lifeguard and Swimming 5. AIDS Education: * Educating people about how to reduce their risk of becoming infected with the AIDS virus (HIV) * Working in cooperation with local and state health departments, employers, agencies, and civic organizations to get unbiased, accurate information about AIDS to the public * Training family members, friends, and home care workers to care for people with AIDS. * Bringing AIDS education programs to young people, minorities, and people at the workplace. * Distributing millions of brochures, placing thousands of public service announcements in newspapers and magazines and over the airwaves, and developing video productions to help calm fears, prevent discrimination and reduce the risk of HIV infection. 6. Military/Social Services: Red Cross paid and volunteer staff provide emergency-related services to members of the US armed forces, veterans, their families and civilians. Some of these services include: * Emergency Communication Network : This service operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and transmits or receives over 800,000 messages a year-at no cost to military service personnel or their families. * Interest Free Loans and Grants: available when urgent personal crises arise, such as death in the family. * Assistance to veterans during discharge procedures and helping them complete forms for military benefits. * Counseling and other Social Services to military families. 7. International Services: Through Red Cross national headquarters, each chapter is linked to the International Red Cross Movement, which is dedicated to protecting human life worldwide. 8. Youth Services: More than 90% of all Red Cross chapters have young people, ages 5-18, involved in Red Cross activities. These activities include: * Health and safety programs in school, including Basic Aid Training (BAT) and AIDS education * Young people counseling other young people in drug and alcohol abuse * Youth-sponsored blood drives * International activities that include preparing kits and school chests for youth in developing countries and participating in cultural exchange programs. * Programs to assist the elderly, such as nursing home visits and delivering meals to the homebound. 9. Other Services: Community needs help determine what Red Cross services your chapter may provide. Locally tailored Red Cross services underscore the length and breadth of Red Cross responsiveness and flexibility. Examples of quality Red Cross community-based programs offered by some chapters include: * Providing shelter to homeless people * Offering "latchkey" programs for children of working parents * Training volunteers to care for the elderly * Providing transportation services for the disabled * Creating food pantries and food programs

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