Down the street, across the country or around the world... we're there.

Photo courtesy of CNBC.comWhen tragedy strikes it’s our natural instinct to want to help.  However, when disaster hits across the globe, it’s difficult for us to physically lend a hand.  It’s often impossible or unsafe to even get to the location or send mass quantities of supplies collected from communities, which are why here at the American Red Cross we allow individuals to donate money directly to disasters so that the affected countries can get the supplies that they know they need.  Our disaster relief funds and response relies heavily on the generous donations of time of our volunteers and monetary support.   

Whether we’re needed to respond down the street, across the country or around the world, we’re prepared here at the American Red Cross.

To Join Us as a donor, please contact Emily Shafer at shafere@usa.redcross.org, 716.878.2374, visit us online or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10.00 donation to the Japan earthquake and tsunami relief fund. 

To Join Us as a volunteer in:

• Erie County, please contact Mary Walls at wallsma@usa.redcross.org at 716.878.2140 or Amanda Ballow at ballowa@usa.redcross.org or 716.878.2236.
• Niagara County, please contact Megan Dodge at dodgem@usa.redcross.org or 716.878.2381.

Happy National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day!

Did you know that HIV/AIDS affects nearly 280,000 women in the United States?   And research has shown that when compared to men, women face gaps in access and care.

Because of this, the Greater Buffalo Chapter of the American Red Cross began providing HIV/AIDS services and education to the community in the 1980’s.  We offer several free, confidential programs year-round, including the Women’s HIV/AIDS Prevention & Care Initiative, which provides HIV/AIDS prevention education to women who are at high risk.

As a way to help celebrate this day of awareness, we're hosting a “Girls Night Out, Part 2” tomorrow, Friday, March 11^th from 5:30pm-9:00pm at 786 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. 

The event is free and includes:

·         Dinner

·         A showing of the Tyler Perry movie, “For Colored Girls”

·         A discussion about women, trauma and healing facilitated by Dr. Lorraine Peeler.

And the Planned Parenthood of WNY Medical Mobile Unit will be offering:

·         STD screening

·         HIV testing

·         Pregnancy testing

·         Gynecological exams! 

If you’re interested in attending the event or would like to know more, please call 716.884.6711 ext 208 or e-mail edr@bppn.org.  Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP!!

For more information about National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness day or the HIV/AIDS Services department at the Greater Buffalo Chapter, please contact Monica Brown, Director, HIV/AIDS services at 878-2394, or visit http://www.buffaloredcross.org/.

Are you a caregiver?

More than 40 million Americans are helping to care for a sick or elderly loved one. If you are one of them, you should know about our Family Caregiving Program.  It is designed for people who help provide care for an elderly or chronically ill loved one, and is an easy way for you to build caregiving skills, learn to reduce stress, understand legal, financial and medical issues, and balance work and home responsibilities.

The Family Caregiving courses include:

•General Caregiving Skills: Prepares individuals who are family caregivers to monitor their loved one's pulse, respirations, and body temperature and also how to assist with medication.

•Home Safety: Informs caregivers on how to provide a safe environment for themselves and the loved ones in their care.

•Positioning and Helping Your Loved One Move: Prepares family caregivers to safely position and help their loved one move.

•Assisting with Personal Care: Prepares family caregivers to assist their loved one with personal care such as bathing, grooming and using the toilet.

•Healthy Eating: Informs family caregivers about good nutrition and how to help their loved one eat.

•Caring for the Caregiver: Prepares family caregivers to care for their own health while caring for a loved one.

•Legal and Financial Issues:  Informs caregivers about legal and financial issues that affect them and their loved one.

If you would like more information about one or all of these programs, please contact Laura Anhalt at 716.878.2395 or anhaltl@usa.redcross.org.

Sheltering our Buffalo neighbors

Last month, we opened up a shelter to house 21 Congo natives who were displaced by a fire that ravaged their Main Street home.  Because of the unique situation of our Congolese clients, our local partnerships were a great help to us.  With the help of interpreters we were able to communicate back and forth with our clients to make sure that all of their emergency needs were being met while two of our corporate sponsors, Gr8 Pizza and Danny’s Restaurant, helped make sure that all of our clients were fed.

Photo courtesy of the FEMA photo library

As we look back, we were able to provide:

·         Over 1,125 meals

·         Over 981 hours of “volunteer-powered” service

o   There were Chapter staff and volunteers at the shelter at all times to make sure that all of the emergency needs of our clients were being met

·         Clothing for 21 people

·         13 nights at the shelter

o   Additional days of lodging until we could find an apartment for one of the families

·         Assistance in obtaining 3 apartments

Without the support from our community, we would not have been able to respond as effectively as we did for these 21 clients or the hundreds of other families that we aid ever year.  If you would like to help support us here at the Chapter so that we can continue to provide emergency services to the Buffalo community, please visit us online to learn about various giving opportunities.

If you would like to become a part of our Disaster Action Team that responds to local disasters, please contact Amanda Campbell at campbellama@usa.redcross.org or 716.878.2364.

Grand Slam anyone?

Did you know that the American Red Cross has clubs in colleges? Well they do! And tonight the Denny’s at 4610 Genesee Street in Cheektowaga will be donating 10% of all check sales between the hours of 4pm and 9pm to the College Clubs of Canisius and Daemen  to help offset the costs of attending a division-wide College Club Conference in Albany this April. 

What are College Clubs?

College Clubs are student run organizations that work in conjunction with a local American Red Cross Chapter in order to increase awareness of the American Red Cross in the community as well as educate the community on how to prepare for disasters.

What is the College Club Conference?

This is the first year that the American Red Cross has held a College Club Conference.  Our hope is that by educating students more in leadership and helping them connect with students across the division that it will increase their club’s longevity and sustainability to help the clubs continue to prosper and grow.

Want to learn more? Visit the Conference’s website, the College Club on Facebook or follow them on Twitter!

Interested in getting your College involved in the conference or starting up a club in your college? Contact Mary Walls at (716)878-2140 or at wallsma@usa.redcross.org.