Giving Tuesday.  It’s a call to donate to a meaningful cause as the holiday season gets underway.  And there’s no more meaningful cause than the American Red Cross, for a variety of reasons.

Most people associate the Red Cross with blood, and for good reason.  The Red Cross collects and processes more than 40%  of the nation’s blood supply.

Red Cross workers also respond to nearly 70,000 disasters a year, the vast majority of them house fires.  People suddenly faced with a crisis get help with immediate needs, like food and lodging, and longer-term assistance, such as mental health services and referrals to other agencies.

In an effort to prevent fire fatalities, the Red Cross and its partners install smoke alarms in homes, at no cost to the residents.

CPR/AED, lifeguarding and babysitting training are among the health and safety programs offered by the Red Cross, to help individuals effectively respond to emergencies.

The Red Cross also helps keep members of the military connected with their loved ones back home.  It’s just one of the Services to Armed Forces offered.

Your donation to the American Red Cross on Giving Tuesday, and at any time can help in so many ways.  Visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

**Please note, our window for collecting Holiday Mail for Heroes for the 2015 season is closed so that we may sort through the cards and deliver them. Please mark your calendars for November 2016 if you wish to participate in the program.