How to volunteer for the Red Cross… during the summer!
As a high school student, it can be especially difficult to keep your Red Cross Club involved in your local community over the summer. Here are some creative ways you can continue volunteering for the Red Cross, even during the summer!
Although you might not expect it, summer is actually a time of year when the need for blood becomes especially apparent. Sign up to host a Leaders Save Lives blood drive while school is out of session and join the impressive group of youth across the nation who are helping save lives with the American Red Cross! You could earn leadership skills, volunteer hours, a gift card, and even be entered to win a scholarship.
Enjoy the outdoors? Helping Hands is a service-based, group-fundraising event that allows community members (schools, churches, workplaces) to use your group to perform various outdoor tasks for a small fee. While serving, your group will share American Red Cross information about home safety and preparedness. This is easy to organize and perfect for summer volunteering in the sunny outdoors!
Interested in cooking? During this event, Red Cross clubs and youth volunteers prepare popular dishes from other countries around the world where the Red Cross provides services. The dishes are sold to raise money for the Red Cross. This is a great social event, and a fun way to fundraise! Preparing the dishes themselves can act as a summer social as well.
Who doesn’t love to throw a party? This event is a birthday party hosted at a local Veteran’s hospital or local veterans or military program for all the birthdays in a particular month. You and your fellow Club members will work together to plan and put on this great event!
Zip Kits are a way to raise funds for your Red Cross Club by selling first aid kits! The kits can be purchased from First Aid Only for $3.75 and sold by your Red Cross Club for $10. Contact your local Red Cross chapter for more information about ordering. There are four types of Zip Kits available: Auto, Home, Sports, and a children’s kit. Friends and families love to purchase these to have on hand – and this can easily be done as a summer fundraiser!
If you want to discuss any of these opportunities more in-depth, feel free to schedule an Office Hours appointment with me by clicking here. Happy volunteering!
– Monica Chang, National Youth Council, Youth Engagement Working Group Lead
