March 2009 is American Red Cross Month, President Barack Obama announced in a presidential proclamation. Each year, the president proclaims March “Red Cross Month”, a time when the organization promotes its services.
Led by volunteers, the humanitarian organization counsels, feeds and shelters victims of disaster; the American Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters each year. It also helps people prevent, prepare and respond to emergencies by teaching health and safety skills. It also supports military members and their families and provides half the nation’s blood supply, according to the national American Red Cross Web site.
“The Red Cross has continued to serve those suffering from large- and small-scale disasters. The organization is best known for its work helping communities deal with major disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires,” the proclamation reads in part. “These large-scale disasters represent a major part of the work of the American Red Cross. Just as important are the tens of thousands of small-scale disasters that occur every day in communities nationwide, and the volunteers who respond to them. These efforts include supporting our military and their families, collecting and distributing blood, helping the needy, delivering health and safety education, and providing aid abroad.”
Image courtesy of http://www.nashvilleredcross.org
