Your humble Red Cross blogger giving platelets at a local donation center.

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service has been an American federal holiday since 1983. While many choose this day to relax, sit around, and enjoy a day off, others choose to celebrate the spirit of the holiday and make today a day ON.

Every TWO seconds someone needs blood. So, serve your community today by giving blood at your nearest donation center. There are blood donation centers in your area! Just go to www.redcrossblood.org/southern, type in your area code, and a list of blood donation centers will pop up closeby.

THERE’S STILL TIME! Most donation centers close at 7:00pm.

Red Cross Volunteer Surveys Aftermath of Major Dekalb County (GA) Apartment Fire

While most Georgians basked in the glow of the holidays during the final weeks of 2011, Atlanta Red Cross volunteers were responding to 35 disaster calls, mostly single family house fires, over the two-week period from December 19 – January 1.  More than 70 volunteers crawled out of their beds and left their families to assist 45 families in need of help. Assistance was provided to over 150 individuals in eight metro counties. Red Cross aid came in the form of temporary lodging, food, clothing, winter coats, and medical needs.  One of the largest fires, which occurred at the Regency Square Apartments in Smyrna, displaced a total of 27 people, all of whom were helped by the Atlanta Red Cross.

“Disasters don’t take holidays,” said Nancy Brockway, Chief Emergency Services Officer for the Georgia Red Cross. “Our volunteers respond around the clock and throughout the year and we are grateful for their commitment to helping those in need.”

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.atlantaredcross.org or join our blog at www.atlantaredcross.wordpress.com

Many people make charitable contributions at the end of the year as part of their holiday tradition, and the Red Cross depends on these donations to provide hope, help and compassion. Nationally, donations in December account for about 20 percent of all non-disaster contributions from the public to the Red Cross. 

“As 2011 draws to a close, we are asking everyone to remember those who need help by making a contribution to the Red Cross,” said Terri Badour Duckett, CEO of the Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter and Georgia Region. “This end-of-year generosity will allow us to help local families affected by disasters, support members of our military, prevent drowning with access to swimming lessons, and care for people in crisis overseas.” 

The Red Cross is urging people to “give something that means something” before January 1, 2012 by donating online at www.redcross.org, mailing a check to P.O. Box 101508,  Atlanta, GA 30392-1508, or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. In addition, people can still go to the American Red Cross Holiday Gift Catalog and buy a symbolic gift. Gifts purchased from the catalog are tax-deductible contributions to the overall Red Cross mission. The catalog include donations for items such as a military comfort kit filled with a phone card, robe, shower shoes, toiletries and an MP3 music gift card for service members who were wounded.

Hundreds of thousands of people needed help from the Red Cross in 2011 when their lives were forever changed by disasters like tornadoes, floods, wildfires and hurricanes in the U.S., and earthquakes and other disasters around the world. In the U.S., the Red Cross launched 137 large domestic disaster relief operations in 46 states and territories, includingGeorgia, to help neighbors affected by fires, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. In addition, major Red Cross relief for international disasters included theJapan earthquake and tsunami response, and continuing work following the 2010Haiti earthquake. 

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Gloria and James Thompson, thankful recipients of Red Cross emergency assistance.

ATLANTA, December 20, 2011 — The American Red Cross helped hundreds of thousands of people whose lives were forever changed by disasters in 2011, from large apartment fires, tornadoes, floods, wildfires and hurricanes in the U.S. to earthquakes and other disasters around the world. 

“The number of lives affected by large disasters in the past year is simply staggering,” said Terri Badour-Duckett, chief executive officer of the Georgia Red Cross. “The Red Cross, our partners, and communities nationwide worked non-stop to offer shelter, food and comfort.” 

In the United States, the Red Cross opened 1,019 shelters and provided more than 130,000 overnight stays. 27,622 trained disaster workers served more than 6.7 million meals and snacks and distributed more than 2.6 million relief items. Health and mental health workers provided more than 133,000 consultations and Red Cross workers opened 16,752 cases to help people get on the road to recovery. 

In Georgia, the Red Cross opened 12 shelters and provided 490 overnight stays. 702 trained disaster workers served 111, 536 meals and snacks and distributed 13, 851 relief items. Health and mental health workers provided 1,647 consultations and Red Cross workers opened 336 cases to help disaster affected communities. Whether it’s a large tornado or a home fire, disaster is devastating to the affected family. 

When James and Doris Thompson had an explosion and fire at their Stone Mountain (GA) home in early October, they were understandably shaken and dismayed to know that their home was completely destroyed. “We lost basically everything,” said James. “Our precious pictures and memories, all gone.” 

As it does an average of 3-4 times daily in metro Atlanta, the Red Cross responded, providing the Thompson’s with the resources that they would need to begin their recovery. “The Red Cross gave us monies to allow us to replace our clothing and to buy food in the interim until our insurance kicked in,” said James. “I can’t imagine what we would have done without the Red Cross.” 

As Americans solidify their year-end giving plans, they are asked to consider donating to support the Red Cross’ life-saving mission. “Through the generosity of the American people and their donations, we can continue to  make a difference in the lives of families like the Thompsons,” said Badour-Duckett. “We encourage everyone to resolve to give something this holiday season with a gift to the Red Cross for neighbors in need.”  

The Red Cross depends on the generous support of the American public to assist people affected by disasters. If you would like to help, please consider making a donation today by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to the metro Atlanta Red Cross at P.O. Box 101508, Atlanta, GA 30392-1508. 

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Doris and James Thompson, thankful recipients of disaster assistance,courtesy of the Atlanta Red Cross

 James and Doris Thompson, residents of Stone Mountain, GA, had a first-hand encounter with a life-altering disaster. The husband and wife recently experienced a methane gas explosion and subsequent fire at their home of two years. While they were understandably shaken by the disaster, they were also  thankful that the Atlanta Red Cross helped to put them on the road to recovery. They are also looking to join the ranks of Atlanta Red Cross volunteers in 2012.