The Red Cross: across the street, across the country, across the world

In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene last August, the Red Cross provided shelter for some 5,000 displaced Long Islanders. Last month, during and after a fire in Hewlett that left nearly three dozen people homeless, Red Cross volunteers were on the scene, comforting the victims with blankets, food and water and arranging emergency housing.

Amid the devastation of hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, earthquakes, hazardous-materals spills, transportation accidents, explosions and other natural and man-made disasters, the American Red Cross is there. March is Red Cross Month, and it’s a good time to be reminded of the work the organization does in communities across the country and around the globe — and how much it depends on your support.

Nurse and humanitarian Clara Barton created the American Red Cross in 1881. Congress officially chartered the organization in 1900 to provide relief during disasters, in the U.S. and elsewhere. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the first Red Cross Month in 1943 in support of the organization’s fundraising efforts during World War II, and this month has been so recognized by every president since.

The American Red Cross serves the military by facilitating communication between members of the armed forces, and offers services in four other areas: community outreach, which helps the needy; the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood and blood products; educational programs, which promote health and safety; and international relief and development programs.

Today the organization responds to nearly 70,000 disasters a year, providing food, shelter, emotional support and other necessities to those affected. Although Red Cross workers can still be found in war zones, in military hospitals and on military installations around the world, the bulk of the organization’s emergency responses are to house and apartment fires, where it offers assistance to residents who are displaced or homeless.