Bloomsburg Chapter of

the American Red Cross

What We Do…

Did you know…

The Bloomsburg Chapter was founded in August 31, 1917. The American Red Cross, governed by volunteers – through an interdependent relationship of the national and chapter sectors, provides services to improve the quality of human life and enhance individual self-reliance and concern for others.

• Carries out local, national and international humanitarian services in behalf of the American people.
• Helps to meet emergency human needs of disaster victims and military families.

• Extends its services locally through 600 service volunteers who are supported by a small career staff. Joined with this force are the volunteers recruited by Red Cross chapters to donate their blood.
• Provides complete public information on activities and stewardship of voluntarily contributed funds.
• Believes in – and fully supports – its fund raising partnership with the Columbia County United Way.

Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES)

Bloomsburg Chapter’s AFES program through a worldwide team – Provides counseling, guidance, and emergency financial assistance to military families in the community and to members of the armed forces from the community to help resolve problems worsened by separation for reasons of national defense. Chapter service is facilitated because Red Cross staff is also stationed at military installations and hospitals worldwide.

• Provides daily 24-hour service, worldwide telecommunications linking families, and information and referral services within the civilian or military community.
• Offers social services and divers ional activities to aid military members from the community who are hospitalized anywhere in the world because of illness or injury.
• Responds to foreign location and disaster welfare inquiries on behalf of any member of the local community, to special problems of refugees, and to other local needs.

Biomedical Services

Blood Services: Every year, people in our community turn to the Red Cross for lifesaving blood during times of emergency. Nationwide, Red Cross volunteers help collect more than six million units of blood from over four million volunteer blood donors. This amounts to more than half the nation’s voluntarily donated blood supply and goes to save lives. So that the maximum number of people can benefit from each unit donated. Red Cross processes the blood into its various components. It then distributes this processed blood to help people suffering from injuries and any number of blood-related conditions, including hemophilia, cancer, and heart surgery. Also, cost-recovery processing costs are charged to hospitals to help pay for blood collection, testing, and distribution. This Red Cross service – which is an invaluable emergency resource to people in our community, includes:

• Testing blood for infectious diseases – including the AIDS antibody – to ensure that people in our community receive the safest blood products possible.
• Identifying and recruiting new healthy blood donors to help ensure an adequate and safe blood supply.
• Maintaining a national registry of thousands of volunteer donors who can provide some-one in our community with a rare blood type should the need arise.
• Lending technical assistance to our hospitals, their blood banks, and medical staffs.
• Researching new, more efficient ways to use lifesaving blood.

Disaster Services

Disaster Action Team members from the Bloomsburg Chapter maintains a nationwide disaster preparedness program to provide rapid response when disaster strikes and to help prevent and minimize human suffering.

• Gives individual families needed emergency help with food, rent, clothing, medical needs, and personal occupational equipment.
• Joins government and other agencies in local and nationwide disaster planning and operations.

Health & Safety Services

The Bloomsburg Chapter provides an array of Health & Safety courses by qualified and trained instructors. Courses are aimed at helping individuals within the community to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that save and improve people’s lives. Courses are taught at our chapter office.

· CPR

· AED

· First Aid

· Babysitter’s Training

· Lifeguard Training

· Water Safety

International Services

International Services in very important to the Bloomsburg Chapter because it aids Americans and foreign nationals by seeking to locate and reunite families separated by war or other causes beyond their control.

• Serves as a channel for concerned Americans who wish to be of help to refugees and victims of international disasters or conflicts, and transmits family messages in such situations when normal communications systems are not in effect.

Youth Services

The American Red Cross, recognizing the value, potential, and ability of young people, both as a human resource for service and as a significant population to be served –

• Offers personal and leadership development experiences to youth through volunteer opportunities in all Red Cross services.
• Promotes self-reliance of young people through training in leadership, heal, safety, and life-management skills geared to current youth needs.
• Involves youth in the planning and implementation of community service activities with older Americans, people with disabilities, and other youth in addressing local needs.
• Promotes international and intercultural understanding through an exchange of ideas, resources, and cultural activities, and through service study exchange visits with youth in other Red Cross societies.
• Develops cooperation between the Red Cross and other youth-serving organizations such as schools, youth groups, and government, to improve community services to youth.

Volunteer Opportunities

Interested in being a volunteer with the Bloomsburg Chapter? There are numerous ways you can help. One is by becoming a Red Cross service volunteer. We can match almost any skill with a need or to teach you new skills you can use for a lifetime. Red Cross will train you for that need. There is always a need for healthy Red Cross volunteer blood donors. Your blood can be used in numerous ways to help others. And of course, your generous financial contributions work to prevent and relieve human suffering.

• Meals on Wheels substitute runners and drivers
• Volunteers for Bloodmobiles
• Health & Safety Volunteer FA/CPR/AED Instructors

Whichever, you may decide to help, when you give to the American Red Cross, you are contributing to an organization whose name and emblem are universally recognized – a guarantee of impartiality, quality, trust, and reliability. For over 100 years, we have been there when America needed us. Whatever you contribute to the Red Cross helps make your community and world a better place.

Mission Statement

The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.