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OPINION
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The Red Cross needs you just as we need it
BY IRA FELDMAN
Progress Guest Writer
Did you know that the American Red Cross provides services to Scottsdale? That’s right. The American Red Cross provides various services to the city of Scottsdale such as emergency disaster response, emergency assistance and disaster preparedness education.
Each year the Red Cross responds to over 70,000 calls including single family and apartment home �ires, hurricanes, tornadoes, hazardous material spills, transportation accidents, explosions and other natural and human disasters. In the last year alone, the Red Cross responded to over 1,200 calls in Maricopa County.
Clara Barton and a circle of her acquaintances founded the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 1881. Barton �irst heard of the Swiss-inspired global Red Cross network while visiting Europe following the Civil War. Returning home, she campaigned for an American Red Cross and for rati�ication of the Geneva Convention protecting the war-injured, which the United States rati�ied in 1882.
Barton led the Red Cross for 23 years, during which time it conducted its �irst domestic and overseas disaster relief efforts and aided the United States military during the Spanish-American War.
They also campaigned successfully for the inclusion of peacetime relief work as part of the global Red Cross network–the so-called “American Amendment” that initially met with some resistance in Europe. The Red Cross received its �irst congressional charter in 1900 and a second in 1905, the year after Barton resigned from the organization. The most recent version of the charter was adopted in May 2007 and restates the traditional purposes, including giving relief to and serving as a medium of communication between members of the American armed forces and their families and providing national and international disaster relief and mitigation.
Since then, the American Red Cross has provided services in wars, disasters and other emergencies.
Today, the American Red Cross operates in all 50 states and American territories and has a volunteer population of over 300,000 who are supported by over 30,000 staff members.
Often the organization is called to provide emergency services in foreign countries. The most recent example of this foreign deployment was early last year in the island of Haiti.
People often ask how they may contribute to the American Red Cross. As you can well understand, with last year’s wild�ires, tornadoes, �loods and hurricanes Red Cross volunteers and staff have been pretty busy.
Many of Arizona’s Red Cross volunteers and staff have been dispatched to these disaster areas missing the opportunity of spending the holidays at home with their families. However, you can help too!
There is a critical blood shortage in our region and blood donors are urgently needed. You can donate blood by scheduling an appointment at redcrossblood.org.
Monetary tax deductible contributions are also needed to help defray the costs of these disaster responses.
In 2020, more than 24,000 people were assisted each day, 900,000 meals were served, and snacks were provided with our partners and 207,200 overnight shelters and hotels were also provided with the partners. The American Red Cross is a 503(c) organization.
You can contribute by logging on to redcross.org.
Finally, if circumstances permit you may consider becoming a Red Cross volunteer to more personally serve your community. The �irst step to becoming a Red Cross volunteer is to apply by going to redcross.org/volunteer and begin the volunteer process.
You will be required to create a pro�ile which takes less than �ive minutes and submit your volunteer application through the system. You will also be required to submit to a background check.
Ira Feldman is a Red Cross volunteer.
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