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FAQ |
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How much of my
donation goes to
relief versus
overhead costs?
How can the Red
Cross help me?
Who founded the
American Red Cross?
Why are symbols
other than a red
cross used by other
National Societies
within the Movement?
Is the American Red
Cross part of the
U.S. government?
Can I get a disease
if I give/receive
blood?
Where can I give
blood?
I heard that the
Red Cross
receives
government
funding, is that
true?
No. All
assistance
provided by the
Red Cross is
completely free
of charge, and
is made possible
by generous
gifts from the
American public.
How
much of my
donation
goes to
relief
versus
overhead
costs? At
least 91
cents of
every dollar
donated to
the American
Red Cross
goes
directly to
disaster
relief
efforts. -
Due to the
scale of
Hurricane
Katrina
relief
operations
and the high
level of
donations we
are
receiving to
support
them, Red
Cross
management
expense will
certainly
amount to a
lesser
percentage
than the
typical 9
percent of
revenue,
which is the
case in a
normal year.
How can the
Red Cross
help me?
This diverse
organization
provides
relief to
victims of
disaster,
both locally
and
nationally.
The Red
Cross is
responsible
for half of
the nation's
blood
supply. The
Red Cross
provides
health and
safety
training to
the public
and provides
emergency
social
services to
U.S.
military and
their
families. In
the wake of
a tornado,
flood, fire
or other
disaster, it
provides
relief
services to
communities
across the
country.
Who
founded
the
American
Red
Cross?
Clara
Barton
(1821-1912)
dominates
the
early
history
of
the
American
Red
Cross,
which
was
modeled
after
the
International
Red
Cross.
She
did
not
originate
the
Red
Cross
idea,
but
was
the
first
person
to
establish
a
Red
Cross
Society
in
America.
She
successfully
organized
the
American
Association
of
the
Red
Cross
in
Washington,
D.C.,
in
1881.
Created
to
serve
America
in
peace
and
war,
during
times
of
disaster
and
national
calamity,
Barton's
organization
took
its
service
beyond
the
International
Red
Cross
Movement
by
adding
disaster
relief
to
battlefield
assistance.
She
served
as
the
organization's
volunteer
president
until
1904.
Who
founded
the
International
Red
Cross?
The
Red
Cross
was
born
in
1859,
when
Henry
Dunant,
a
young
Swiss,
came
upon
a
bloody
battle
in
Solferino,
Italy.
Some
40,000
men
lay
dead
or
dying
and
the
wounded
were
lacking
medical
attention.
Dunant
organized
people
to
bind
the
soldiers'
wounds
and
feed
them.
On
his
return,
he
called
for
the
creation
of
national
relief
societies
to
assist
those
wounded
in
war
and
pointed
the
way
to
the
future
Geneva
Conventions.
In
1863,
The
International
Red
Cross
and
Red
Crescent
Movement
was
created
in
Geneva,
Switzerland,
to
provide
nonpartisan
care
to
the
wounded
and
sick
in
times
of
war.
The
Red
Cross
emblem
was
adopted
as a
symbol
of
neutrality.
Today,
the
Red
Cross
Movement
incorporates
the
Geneva-based
International
Committee
of
the
Red
Cross
(ICRC)
and
the
International
Federation
of
Red
Cross
and
Red
Crescent
Societies
(the
International
Federation),
as
well
as
National
Societies
in
175
countries,
including
the
American
Red
Cross.
Why are symbols other than a red cross used by other National Societies within the Movement? Although the red cross is not a religious symbol, some societies view it as such. The symbol of the red crescent is used instead of the red cross by societies in most Islamic countries; and the Magen David Adom, or Red Shield of David, is used in Israel.
Is the American Red Cross part of the U.S. government? The American Red Cross functions independently of the government but works closely with government agencies, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is responsible for giving aid to members of U.S. Armed Forces and disaster victims at home and abroad. It does this through services consistent with its Congressional Charter and Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, allowing the Red Cross to stay neutral and impartial. All assistance provided by the Red Cross is completely free of charge, and is made possible by generous gifts from the American public. The American Red Cross does not receive government funding.
Can I get a disease if I give/receive blood? Giving blood: The procedure itself is very safe. Every donation is taken from a new and sterile needle, which is immediately disposed of after that single use. When these procedures are followed, you cannot contract the virus that causes AIDS. Receiving blood: It is also safe to receive a blood transfusion. In fact, the risks of contracting a blood-borne disease through transfusion are far less than the risks of not receiving a transfusion at all. The nation's blood supply is safer today than it has ever been and is as safe as modern science and medicine can make it. The chance of contracting the virus that causes AIDS through a blood transfusion is 1 in 1.5 million.
Where can I give blood? Individuals wanting to donate blood may call their local Red Cross Blood Services office or call 1-800 GIVE LIFE.
Why won't the Red Cross accept individual donations or collections of items such as clothing, food or cleaning supplies? The Red Cross does not accept individual donations of items ("in-kind" donations) because receipt of such items can actually hamper relief efforts. The financial and personnel cost of receiving, sorting, transporting and ensuring the quality of items donated is high. It doesn't allow for individuals and families to receive what they uniquely need in their own size and shape. The traditional method of providing Red Cross assistance is with a voucher, redeemable at local stores and paid for with donation dollars, that enables victims to purchase what they need in the correct sizes and in their own taste. Making even these small decisions helps individuals take control of their lives and recovery. The Red Cross does accept large corporate donations of food, bottled water and other items needed by the disaster-affected communities.
What can people expect from the American Red Cross during times of disaster? Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster strikes, we provide shelter, food and health and mental health services, which address basic human needs. In addition, we help individuals resume their normal activities independently. This may include a referral or way to pay for what is needed most: groceries, clothes, rent, emergency home repairs, transportation, household items, medicines and occupational tools. The Red Cross may also help those needing long-term recovery assistance when all other available resources are unavailable or inadequate to meet the needs. All assistance is based on verified disaster-caused needs and is freeliterally a gift as a result of the generous support of the American people. The Red Cross feeds disaster victims and emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the area, provides blood to disaster victims and links disaster victims to other resources.
How quickly is the American Red Cross able to respond to disasters? Red Cross chapters across the country are required to respond to an incident within two hours of notification. These local chapters conduct disaster training, as well as planning and preparedness, to help them respond quickly and effectively. Immediately after a disaster is reported, we mobilize personnel and resources to provide services such as sheltering and feeding. The local chapter, with the help of other chapters in the state, quickly assess the size and scope of the incident. If help from beyond the state is needed, a request goes to national headquarters so supplies and personnel can be sent.
What is the role of Red Cross workers with the military in time of conflict? The Red Cross mission is to keep the American people in touch with their family members serving in the armed forces. To accomplish this, Red Cross workers frequently deploy on assignment with military forces to keep the communication link operational around the clock and globe. Other Red Cross services are made available to military personnel on an as needed basis just as they are in civilian communities.
What roles do volunteers play at ARC? A volunteer is an individual who, beyond the responsibilities of paid employment, freely and without expectation of compensation, contributes time and service to assist the American Red Cross in the accomplishment of its mission. The Red Cross depends on volunteers to accomplish the organization's mission: providing relief to victims of disasters and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. To prepare volunteers, we provide training for most volunteer positions, with the level of training varying according to the requirements of the position and qualifications of the individual.
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