Becoming an American Red Cross Volunteer

Becoming a volunteer is a different process for everyone. Maybe you want to help the community, build your skills, learn more about an organization or just want something to fill up your time. Whatever it may be, your volunteering is always welcome and wanted. At the American Red Cross your time and talent can make a real difference in people’s lives.

The volunteers at the Red Cross help people prevent, prepare for and recover from disasters in America; support for members of the military and their families; blood collection, processing and distribution; health and safety education and training; international relief; and development.

90% of the American Red Cross workforce is made up of volunteers, so as you can imagine the Red Cross is always looking for more.

Once you become a volunteer you’ll get your own profile online where you can log hours and set yourself goals.  

Even if you don’t want to become a volunteer you can always donate or give blood.

Being a volunteer doesn’t just mean being on the front line, it is also about being behind the scenes. This could range from writing grants and getting the Red Cross story out to the community to administrative work and stocking supplies. The volunteer opportunities at the Red Cross are endless, and every little bit helps.

Joining the Red Cross was one of the best decisions I have made. I joined as an Intern because I was interested in the work they do and the people they help. I have only been here for a couple weeks and I love it. I am not on the front line at the moment but I know whatever you do here at the Red Cross helps, and I know I will stay on to be a volunteer for a long time.  

Check out some more Red Cross stories and see why you should sign up to be a volunteer today!

--Emma Reeve, Communications intern

Volunteer - It Does a Mind and Body Good

This week officially marks “Volunteer Week” across the country. It is a week to not only appreciate those who do volunteer their time but also to try to recruit more volunteers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the end of September 2013, the rate of volunteers dropped 1.1% to 35.4% nationwide. What’s amazing is, according to www.volunteeringinamerica.gov, from 2010 – 2012, Rochester, NY ranked 2^nd as far as the most volunteers with 35.1% of the population volunteering.  Most of those volunteers were over the age of 55.

Volunteers make up more than 90% of the American Red Cross workforce. That is an incredible statistic. More than 90%! These extraordinary people give of their time to help others and carry out the Red Cross mission of “alleviating human suffering”. It really is a remarkable gift that these people give our organization and our community. They do so unselfishly and without complaint.

When I joined the American Red Cross, I got to see on my first day what it was like to be around these selfless and compassionate people. With little notice, as is the case with most disasters, they mobilized quickly and were standing ready to help their fellow citizens in need. It was something to behold seeing those faces, those bodies come together on a mission to be that glimmer of hope for those who needed it. It was a humbling and inspiring day for me.

With that being said, I would encourage everyone and anyone to volunteer and or donate to help those who do volunteer.  American Red Cross volunteers are the heart of this organization through their selflessness and giving spirit. Thank you volunteers for being an example for all of us.

The Story Behind the Video

“I don’t know where we would be without the Red Cross stepping in to help.”

Jessi Evans, her four children and their father Cliff have been living in a hotel provided by Red Cross volunteers and supporters since their Middleport, NY apartment building was destroyed by fire two days ago. The story of how Evans and the children survived is getting a lot of attention, largely thanks to a video shot by one of the many people who came together to rescue them.

“Cliff and I watched the video last night, it took us two tries to get through it,” Evans said. “We saw how everyone came together to help.”

Evans and the children, all under the age of seven, were in a bedroom when Jessi’s sister noticed smoke. They called 911, grabbed the kids and went to a window. “

My sister kicked out the window and we started screaming for help,” Evans said. Middleport police and fire officials rushed to the back of the home, where Evans and her sister started passing children to them through the window. Evans actually went back into the home to try to rescue her pets before being forced onto a rooftop.

Jessi Evans, her children Hayden, Bryson, Connor and
Taylor with their father Cliff

“I had to think that if I went back to get the animals, my kids might not have their mother,” Evans said. A volunteer firefighter from a nearby district, who shot the video, happened on the scene, grabbed a ladder from a neighboring apartment building and helped Middleport officials safely get Evans and her sister down before the building was destroyed. Evans, her sister and the kids were taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation, but would be okay.

“I started screaming for my family,” said Cliff, who was at work when the fire started. “My family is my life, the reason I get up and go to work every day. Thank you for helping them.”

“I was informed at the hospital that the Red Cross could help, and that’s where I met with Mike,” Evans said of Disaster Action Team volunteer Mike Hoplight. “The extended stay at the hotel has helped a lot. Otherwise we might have stayed with family, but probably would’ve been separated because of space.” The Red Cross has also provided the family with vouchers for food, clothing and baby supplies such as diapers, and Hoplight and other caseworkers continue to meet with the family to help them get back on their feet.

“The support from the community has been tremendous,” Evans said. “I wish I could thank everyone individually.”

Evans, Cliff and the children are just six of the over 50 Erie and Niagara County residents receiving Red Cross assistance after nine separate fires over the past four days. We can only help these neighbors in need thanks to your support. Please consider making a donation to the Disaster Relief Fund by calling 1-800-REDCROSS, visiting www.redcross.org, or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to charge a $10 donation to your phone bill. And we’d love to have you as a volunteer as well.

A Taste of Home

When I worked in the media, we always joked that no matter what the story, there was ALWAYS a Western New York connection. So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that this was the first thing I saw when heading out to a bulk distribution site on Brooklyn's Brighton Beach:

Yep, that's our Emergency Response Vehicle from Niagara Falls getting ready to serve a hot meal to  residents still devastated almost three weeks after the storm, one of over 300 Red Cross vehicles working on the Sandy response. The volunteers inside weren't WNYers, at least not this time, but it's yet another example of The City (or should that be region?) of Good Neighbors coming through for those in need.

Brighton Beach is one of 15 fixed sites across New York City where the Red Cross is serving meals and water and distributing comfort and clean up kits with things like blankets, flashlights, mops and buckets this weekend. As of Friday, over 2.1 million relief items had been distributed and over 6.1 million meals and snacks have been served, and those numbers are going to continue to jump. In addition to Brighton Beach, I also visited a site at Red Hook, and was struck by the size of the line.

It's pretty clear that this response is going to last a long time. If you want to help, please visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to charge a $10 donation to your phone bill. The people here still need your help.

The stories behind the Tweets

As you can see from our Twitter feed or Facebook page, our Disaster Action Team had a busy weekend, providing immediate emergency assistance to multiple families after separate fires on Lasalle Avenue and Holly Street in Buffalo. While they provide great updates on the work our amazing volunteers do throughout this community every day, these posts can be a little cold and unemotional. It's impossible to describe the impact these calls for help can have on both the victims and our DAT members in 140 characters. But this email from a staff member and Disaster Action Team leader regarding an incident last weekend does the trick pretty well:

I happened to be on call for Emergency Services this weekend and got a call at 3:30 Saturday morning that there was a house fire in Hamburg and a family of 5 that needed our help.  Any fire I respond to is devastating, but this one in particular reminded me why we do what we do and why our fundraising is so important.  One of the family dogs woke the father up just in time to get his wife and three girls safely out of the house, but unfortunately the house and all of the family’s belongs were utterly destroyed.  As we talked to the mom, there was so much stress and uncertainty about what to do next and the girls were clinging to the few photos and pieces of clothing they were able to salvage before the firemen boarded up the house.  One of the young daughters was clutching the worn pink blanket – her “woobie” that dad grabbed before running out of the house.  I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful this family’s neighbors were, taking them in, listening to what we were telling the family and most importantly just hugging and crying with their friends – in relief that everyone was safe and in despair at the devastation in the house.  My teammate and I drove back home just as the sun was coming up and I really couldn’t have been more proud of the work we do… 

Any one of our DAT volunteers could share similar stories of the emotions felt by everyone at a disaster scene, and we can only be there to turn heartbreak into hope thanks to your support. Even if you are not able to feel this impact for yourself by volunteering, please consider making a donation to help us continue to be what happens next for our neighbors in need across Western New York. 

And if you would like to share your own story of how the Red Cross helped you in your time of need, or how volunteering with us has touched your life, please click the "Share Your Stories" link on the bottom of this page!

There they go again!

We say it all the time, but we'll say it again today. Our volunteers are AWESOME!! Imagine willingly giving up two weeks of your life to travel to an area that's virtually underwater, just so you can help those whose lives have been turned upside down by the devastation. Well, two of our volunteers did just that today.

Susan Peek and Diane Sargent packed and ready to
fly to Florida to assist in Tropical Storm Debby relief efforts

Susan Peek and Diane Sargent boarded a plane for Tampa, Florida this morning to join more than 240 other trained Red Cross disaster workers helping people affected by Tropical Storm Debby. This is Susan's first deployment, but she couldn't have a better trainer. Diane has been on more than a dozen deployments and will help Susan  as they do disaster assessment throughout the affected communities. The Red Cross is currently supporting relief efforts by providing safe shelter, warm meals (more than 6,800 since June 24th!) and distributing relief supplies like flashlights, work gloves, rakes, shovels and tarps. Diane and Susan's work will help make sure those efforts are focused where they are needed most.


On the other side of the country, wildfires have forced thousands of people from their homes. More than 355 people spent Thursday night in nine red cross shelters across Colorado and Montana. Once again, Western New Yorkers are on the job as Beth Shook, who volunteers out of our Southwestern New York Chapter, is on the way to Colorado, where the Red Cross has served more than 36,000 meals and snacks and made over 3,800 health and mental health contacts since June 9th. It is possible that additional volunteers from the area could be deployed depending on how these situations progress.

Diane and Susan tell the media about what they expect
to see in do during their Florida deployment

Before leaving, Susan and Diane had the chance to talk to the media about why they're going and what they expect to see once they arrive in Florida. Our volunteers don't like to talk about themselves, but rather focus on who they're helping and how, even if it means doing a little Red Cross PR along the way. We can't thank them and all of our volunteers enough for their service, and we look forward to their safe return.

If you'd like to help out, please consider making a gift to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by calling 1-800-REDCROSS, visiting www.redcross.org, or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Your neighbors in need thank you.

Doing our part

Hurricane and Tropical Storm Irene left her mark along the East Coast of the United States, and the Red Cross has now launched a relief effort to help the millions of people without power as well as those affected by the major damage to roads and other infrastructure from flooding.  It could take days, and even weeks to restore power and assess the possible billions of dollars of damage this storm has caused, and your help is needed. If you would like to get involved and help communities across the country you can:

Photo courtesy of photographer:
Chuck Liddy/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT/Getty Images

Volunteer: Become a volunteer with the Red Cross and get trained so that during the next disaster you’ll be prepared and ready to help out.  Click here to learn more about volunteering, or call Christine Petre, at 716-878-2140, to learn more about volunteering in Erie and Niagara counties. 

Donate funds: Since we are not currently taking donations of food or clothing, money is the most immediate and direct way you can help.  Click here to make a donation to the Red Cross’ disaster relief fund or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10.00 to relief efforts.

Donate blood: Because of the inclement weather and lasting effects of the hurricane and tropical storm, blood drives have been cancelled up and down the East Coast.  By donating you can ensure the stability of our blood supply.  Click here to make an appointment. 

To learn more about how we’re helping aid communities after this disaster, click here to visit the Red Cross online. 

To learn more about how you can help, you can call us at 716-886-7500 or visit us online. 

Be a good cookie!

One thing you can always look forward to feeling after donating to the American Red Cross is good.  Which is why one of our favorite Keebler elves, Ernie Keebler, is teaming up with us to make sure that your good deeds are rewarded! 

So, when you give blood you can expect a delishes Keelber cookie waiting for you as a sign of our appreciation, as well as some other great promotions:

• A certificate for a free box of chocolate dipped fruit from Edible Arrangements
(August)
• A chance to enter to win a daily raffle for a $200 Staples gift card (August)
• Points to earn rewards through Red Cross Racing

To learn about upcoming promotions, click here to visit us online!

So be a good cookie and make an appointment to give blood, and get a good cookie for helping to save lives.  

American Red Cross President & CEO visits Japan


At the invitation of the Japanese Red Cross, American Red Cross President & CEO Gail McGovern spent four days traveling the affected areas of Japan, meeting with survivors and learning how American donations have been and will in the future be put to use in support of the country's relief and recovery efforts. 

“It has been very gratifying for me to see the generosity of our country first hand and the impact that it is having,” she said as she finished a visit to Japan. “Despite all of the destruction that we witnessed, it’s really quite amazing to know that you are part of an organization, a movement, around the world that can make a difference.”

To date, the American Red Cross has provided more than $103 million to the Japanese Red Cross and other humanitarian partners, making it one of the largest private, international contributors to the response.
Within days after the tsunami, donations made to the American Red Cross began supporting relief efforts in the more than 2,000 evacuation shelters scattered across the devastated coastal communities as well as the Japanese Red Cross medical operation, which has included nearly 600 teams providing professional-level care.

Within the first month, donations to the American Red Cross also had helped outfit nearly 3,000 pre-fabricated houses with six electrical appliances each. In the coming months, the Japanese government plans to construct more than 72,000 of these 320-square-foot, temporary homes wherever land in available, including playing fields on school campuses. The Red Cross will equip each house with a package of household items, including a stove, refrigerator and washing machine, which will help an estimated 280,000 people resume normal activities and jump start their recovery.

As of April 25, the American Red Cross had raised more than $187 million for the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami response. This figure includes more than $4.5 million in text donations. Following McGovern’s return to the U.S., the American Red Cross intends to make an additional contribution to support a variety of immediate relief and early recovery programs she witnessed first hand. Other installments will follow as pledges are fulfilled and donations are received.

“This is the third time in just three years that I have gone into earthquake zones, and no matter how often I do this, I am never going to get used to it,” McGovern said. “It’s actually difficult to get your head around the extent of the destruction. Everything is in shreds. And then suddenly you’ll see a doll, a kid’s bicycle or a tea cup, and then the devastation becomes more real and more personal.”

This is McGovern's first visit to the disaster zone following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. In her nearly three years as president and CEO of the American Red Cross, she also traveled to Haiti and China following catastrophic earthquakes there.

To make a donation to the American Red Cross, please call 1-800-REDCROSS, text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10.00, or visit us online. 

9/11 blood drive series



Photo courtesy of the Tri-County Chapter

An important date in the United States' history is approaching. The 10^th anniversary of 9/11.  To help commemorate this event, we are beginning a series of blood drives at which we hope to collect 911 units of blood. 

On Saturday, June 11^th we will be kicking of this series of blood drives at the Cheektowaga & Hamburg fixed sites from 7:00am-2:00pm.  Tim Kennedy will be sponsoring and attending the event and all presenting donors will receive a free 9/11 commemorative pin. 

This blood drive series will be running from Saturday, June 11^th until Sunday, September 11^th.  If you would would like to schedule an appointment or look for upcoming drives, you can call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit www.redcrossblood.org. 

Walk-ins are welcome.



Communities coming together

photo courtesy of the bleacher report

Something that we love about the communities across the country is how they all come together to help during a disaster.  Here in Buffalo, we’re no different.  Buffalo Bills punter, Brian Moorman, announced that his team will join with New Era Cap Co. to make a donation of at least $10,000 to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts in Joplin, Mo., which was ravaged by tornadoes late last month.

New Era will provide 10,000 pieces of clothing to residents in the Joplin area. Moorman also is auctioning off a game-worn Bills jersey on eBay, with the proceeds going to the Red Cross. Moorman's college, Pittsburg State, is less than 30 minutes from Joplin. To learn more about this partnership, click here to read the rest of the Buffalo News article. 

The Red Cross' response in the Midwest

The American Red Cross’ top priority when responding to disasters is to provide food, shelter and emotional support for the people whose lives have been disrupted.  This is why after disasters, it is our goal to open shelters in the damaged areas within hours so that we can begin to provide people with food, water, and a safe place to stay.



Photo courtesy of MSNBC

More than 100 people spent Monday night in a Red Cross shelter in Joplin after the tornadoes tore through the Midwest and more than 50 people sought refuge in Minnesota on Sunday.  We know that meeting these basic needs of people is extremely important to their recovery, but what is often over looked after disasters are the individual’s mental health.  This is why we encourage trained health services and mental health workers to join the Red Cross as volunteers so that we can be sure that they are being deployed to areas where they can help people cope in the aftermath of disasters.

All of this couldn’t be done without the financial support of the Red Cross’ communities across the country, and currently the Red Cross estimates that it will spend as much as $41 million responding to the disasters which have occurred since March 31.  To date, about $33.6 million has been raised in donations for these responses, which includes  the Red Cross’ responses to the myriad of disasters which have hit the United States this spring, including the wildfires in Texas, the tornadoes which devastated areas of the South, the Mississippi River flooding response, and helping people affected by this past weekend’s tornadoes

Any donation, large or small, will help with our relief effort. For example, $3 can provide a comfort kit for someone in a disaster. $6 can cover the cost of a blanket, $10 the cost of a hot meal.

To watch an interview with Red Cross volunteer, Janet Bartee, click here!

To make a donation, visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Contributions may also be sent to your local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

For more information about volunteering, please visit us online or contact Mary Walls at wallsma@usa.redcross.org or 878-2140.

We want YOU to volunteer

Being part of the American Red Cross means that we need to help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.  At this point in time, the southern states recently ravaged by tornadoes and flooding are in a state of emergency. 

Early estimates have shown more than 13,000 homes across the six states have been destroyed or damaged, which means many of those inhabitants have nowhere to go.  This is why the American Red Cross is launching a massive recovery operation and has already deployed over 4,500 Red Cross staff and volunteers, 3 of which come from this Chapter.  They’re helping to provide food, shelter, emotional support and relief items to those affected by the devastation. 

It’s clear that as this operation continues to unfold, we are going to need more volunteers to help with recovery.  We welcome everyone to volunteer, but at this time we’re in a specific need for medical and mental health professionals to donate their time and talents.  Because of this, we’re offering training for new volunteers next week that would allow them to be eligible for deployment as early as Sunday, May 15^th**, and Red Cross volunteers will also be eligible to respond to disasters here in Western New York.    

**Deployment is dependent on the completion and acceptance of all background checks and paperwork.

Upcoming training schedule for medical professionals only:

Disaster Health Services Training

When: Thursday, May 12th, 11am-2pm

Where: American Red Cross, 786 Delaware Ave, Buffalo

Contact: Mary Walls at 878.2140

Disaster Mental Health Training

When: Thursday, May 12th, 6pm-9pm,

Where: American Red Cross, 786 Delaware Ave, Buffalo

Contact: Mary Walls at 878.2140

Upcoming training schedule for all volunteers:

Disaster Services Overview/Shelter Operations Training

When: Saturday, May 14th, 9am-3pm

Where: American Red Cross, 2079 Sawyer Dr, Niagara Falls

Contact: Mary Walls at 878.2140

For more training opportunities, please contact Mary Walls at 878.2140 or wallsma@usa.redcross.org, view our Disaster Training schedule online, or visit our website to learn more about what other volunteer opportunities we have available.

Don’t currently have time to volunteer? Make a donation to help with the relief efforts, learn more by visiting us online. 

Bills and Verizon Wireless Team Up for Tornado Relief

The Federal Government has announced that over 600 tornadoes touched down in the month of April.  Thousands of towns and cities have been destroyed and damaged and residents are now left with little or nothing to call home.  The American Red Cross has launched a huge recovery operation across the six affected southern states, opening hundreds of shelters, serving more than 513,000 meals, and helping families take the next step in recovering their lives. 

Bills VP Russ Brandon and first round draft pick Marcell Dareus with
Heather Filipowicz, CFRE, Sr. Director of Advancement.

As a humanitarian organization, we rely on donations from the public so that we can perform our mission, which is why we’re so thankful to the Buffalo Bill's owner, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr., and Verizon Wireless.  During last weekend’s NFL Draft, these two organizations teamed up to donate $10,000 to our Disaster Relief Fund in honor of first round pick Marcell Dareus, from the University of Alabama.  Their generosity will help us provide the immediate emergency needs of disaster victims and help them make the steps to rebuilding what they’ve lost. 

To help us to continue to provide aid to families affected by disaster, please visit us online.



For more information on the Bills donation
to our Disaster Relief Fund, click here.

Help our neighbors in the south

Photo courtesy of the Delaware County Chapter
of the American Red Cross

Do you wish that you could help the individuals affected by the devastating storms in the south? We’re looking for dedicated volunteers who are willing to donate their time to help with the search and rescue efforts down south, especially those with a training background in mental health. 

"The mental health is the thing they're really pushing for right now especially for down south, but in general mental health people to come in and help council and they're really looking to deploy those people in Alabama, and North Carolina, and Missouri, and Arkansas in those states down south right now."
–Jay Bonafede, Communications Director for the Greater Buffalo Chapter

What does it take to become a deployable volunteer for the American Red Cross?

The American Red Cross is always looking for dedicated volunteers to add to its ranks.  To be a deployable volunteer for the American Red Cross, you must attend several trainings in order to be eligible.  For a list of these requirements and upcoming scheduled trainings, click here or call us at the Greater Buffalo Chapter, 716.886.7500, to learn more.

For other volunteer opportunities with the American Red Cross, click here!

To learn more about where you can send your donations for disaster relief in the states affected by the tornadoes, visit us online.

Lend a helping hand



Photo courtesy of the American Red Cross
Jackson Tornado '08 Flickr

The American Red Cross is hard at work helping families return to their neighborhoods after deadly  storms ripped through the south.  Tornadoes caused devastation and left little remaining so we're there supporting residents, making sure that they have food to eat, a safe place to stay, and someone to listen.  

In addition to these disasters, wildfires have been burning and spreading for days across Texas, destroying hundreds of thousands of acres.   Red Cross disaster workers are on the ground helping the people who have been forced from their homes and making sure that all the emergency responders have enough food and water. 

Hundreds of Red Cross disaster workers and nearly 50 Red Cross emergency response vehicles have fanned out across the wildfire and tornado disaster scenes, opening shelters, feeding those affected, and distributing personal hygiene items and materials to help with the clean-up.  Within the last week and a half they have served more than 43,000 meals and snacks with the support of community partners.

The Red Cross depends on financial donations to get help to people affected by disasters like these. Please consider making a donation today to help to those in need. Visit us online, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to:

American Red Cross
Greater Buffalo Chapter
786 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14209

or to

American Red Cross
P.O. Box 37243
Washington, DC 20013

Interested in becoming one of our volunteers that responds to disasters? Visit us online to learn more about the courses that you need to take in order to respond to the next disaster, click here to view our course schedule, or call us here at the Chapter, 716.886.7500, to learn more.



Story contributed from Disaster Can Change Someone’s Life in Seconds, by Allen Crabtree, Contributing Writer

Making a difference at any age

Younger generations have been showing the world time and time again that regardless of their age, they too can make a difference.  Lockport High School is a great example of this.  The school’s musical, "Once On This Island,” showed Friday April 1^st and Saturday April 2^nd and they set aside a portion of the $10.00 ticket price to donate to the relief efforts in Japan.  They donated over $1,000. 

Sarah Pevey, Marissa Parker, Zac Parker, Heather Filipowicz, William Tschaepe,
Erin Deeks, Katrina Rorick, Emmaline Lux

We are so thankful to have our younger generations working hand and hand with us at the American Red Cross.  They’re helping us further our mission and good work in the community, across the country and around the world. 

If you would like to get involved with us at the American Red Cross, you can call us at 716-886-7500 to learn more about volunteer, fundraising and donation opportunities, or you can visit us online to learn more about all the services that your donations of time and money allow us to offer. 

Lending a hand across the world

Nothing is greater then going through the mail here at the Chapter and opening up envelopes from the community with all types of donations for those affected by disasters.  The other day, we received an envelope full of hand drawn pictures and notes from a third grade class at the Kadimah School.  Their teacher wrote us a letter describing her students desire to help and cheer up the children in Japan, and their pictures and letters were the best way that they knew how to help.

Unfortunately, in these types of disasters, it is difficult for us to transport clothing, food, pictures, and other tangible items.  Although we would like to give the people of Japan our personalized gifts and items, the best way that we can help them recover from this major disaster is through monetary donations.

What these pictures have been able to do is inspire us here at the Chapter to continue to do our good work, and we hope that they do the same for you.  As of today, March 28 at 2:10pm, we have raised a total of $33,936 for the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief effort from donors in our community, and we hope that you will continue to help us raise funds to help Japan make a full recovery. 

If you would like to make a donation to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief fund, you can text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10.00 donation, call 1-800-REDCROSS or visit us online.  If you would like to speak to someone here at the Chapter about making a donation, please call us at 716-886-7500.

No one likes pining by the phone waiting for it to ring... so don't make us!

Photo courtesy of ABC.net.au

Tonight is the night Buffalo! Phone lines for our telethon on Channel 7 will open at 5pm and close at 6:30pm, so be sure to call in your donations to help Japan.

If you call 716.886.7500 during the telethon, a volunteer will be anxiously waiting to take your secure credit card donation, so be sure to keep them busy with your phone calls!

We'd like to thank Wegmans for the food that they will be providing to our volunteers working the telethon, for the Check Out campaign they are running to help aid Japan, and the $100,000 the Wegmans family donated to the American Red Cross' relief efforts.  

Also, we'd like to thank Roschez Academy of Irish Dancers and their families for helping to raise over $1,000 to donate to the Japanese Earthquake and Pacific tsunami fund.

If you would like to help out by making a donation, you can call us tonight during out telethon at (716)886-7500 or you can donate at anytime by visiting us online, texting REDCROSS to 90999 (there will be a $10.00 charge added to your cell phone bill), calling 1-800-REDCROSS or by mailing a check to:

American Red Cross

Greater Buffalo Chapter-30

PO Box 1845

Albany, NY 12201-1845

For more information on the telethon, please contact Jay Bonafede at (716) 878-2372.

JOIN US TO HELP JAPAN

Like so many, the hearts of the American Red Cross go out to the people of Japan and the other survivors of the earthquake and tsunami on March 11^th.  As of Monday, March 14^th:

·         3,100 people have been confirmed dead

·         3,118 people are reported missing

·         530,000 people have had to be evacuated from the tsunami, earthquake, and the resulting nuclear threat.

Picture courtesy of Colin DowneyBecause of these growing numbers, the American Red Cross has contributed an initial $10 million to the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS).  These funds will assist the JRCS’s ongoing efforts to provide medical care and relief assistance.  As this disaster continues to unfold, we expect that the JRCS will need more funding which is why we’re teaming up with WKBW-TV Channel 7 for a live “Join Us To Help Japan” telethon event, between 5pm-6:30pm Thursday evening.

During the telethon, you can make a donation to the relief efforts in Japan by calling (716) 886-7500, where volunteers will accept a secure credit card donation. 
You can also donate at anytime by visiting us online, texting REDCROSS to 90999 (there will be a $10.00 charge added to your cell phone bill), calling 1-800-REDCROSS or by mailing a check to:

American Red Cross

Greater Buffalo Chapter-30

PO Box 1845

Albany, NY 12201-1845

You can also catch our very own Communications Coordinator, Jay Bonafede, accepting a donation to the telethon from Roschez Academy of Irish Dancers tomorrow on the 6 o'clock am news on Channel 7.
For more information on the telethon, please contact Jay Bonafede at (716) 878-2372 and if you’d like to make a donation between the hours of 9am-5pm Monday-Friday you can call us here at the Chapter at (716) 886-7500.