American Red Cross Youth » Uncategorized

Sarah White Introduces New Features of the Website for the American Red Cross National Youth Council

redcrossyouth — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:34:03 +0000

Sarah White, National Youth Council Member talks about some of the features of the new website. Be excited… Very excited!

~Hanna Malak

THE NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL ANNOUNCES NEW RED CROSS WEBSITE

redcrossyouth — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:14:07 +0000

The National Youth Council aims to use this website to offer Red Cross Volunteers a more interactive platform for finding resources and opportunities at the local and national scale. Several new features will put Red Cross Volunteers at a direct connection with the National Youth Council.

The website will be launching soon, so please be on a look out for the website. In the meanwhile, NYC members will be posting videos, talking about the new platform and its new features.

Check out this overview from our Vice-Chair, Anjuli Sastry.

Mohit Jain
mjain.nyc@gmail.com

History Behind First African American to Lead American Red Cross

redcrossyouth — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:22:33 +0000

Jerome H. Holland served as chairman of the Board of Governors from 1979 until 1985; research lab named in his honor.

Tuesday, February 07, 2012 — The legacy of Jerome H. Holland, African American educator, businessman, author, civil rights proponent, diplomat and 1985 Presidential Medal of Freedom winner, lives on through his mission of helping to provide the safest blood possible to those in need. The American Red Cross Jerome H. Holland Laboratory for the Biomedical Sciences is named in his honor.

Holland was the driving force behind the current phase of biomedical research and development at the Red Cross; the national center for biomedical research and development. A true visionary, Holland recognized the importance of blood research and the benefits it could bring to human health. The Holland Lab continues his legacy today through the American Red Cross Research and Development Program.

Holland was born in Auburn, New York, one of 13 children born to Robert and Viola Bagby Holland. He led the American Red Cross Board of Governors as its chairman from 1979 until his death in 1985.
Jerome Holland is briefed by a Red Cross Worker following a 1979 tornado that struck Wichita Falls, Texas.

As the only one of his siblings to attend college, Holland entered Cornell University in 1935 where he excelled in academics and on the football field. He was named an All-American end in 1937 and 1938 at a time when the nation was heavily segregated and very few Black players were welcome in college athletics. In 1965, he was inducted into the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame. He earned his doctorate in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania.

With his Ph.D. in hand, Holland embarked on a 30-year career as an educator and administrator. From 1953 to 1959 he served as president of Delaware State College (now Delaware State University); from 1960 to 1970 he served as president at Hampton Institute in Virginia (now Hampton University). Both schools are among the leading historically black institutions of higher learning in the United States, also known as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).

Holland’s first term on the Red Cross Board of Governors began in 1964 and ended in 1970 when he was appointed United States ambassador to Sweden. Upon his return to the United States, Holland served on the boards of directors of many major U.S. corporations, including AT&T, Chrysler, General Foods, Federated Department Stores, Manufacturers Trust and Union Carbide. In 1972 he became the first African American to serve on the board of the New York Stock Exchange; in 1979, President Jimmy Carter appointed Holland as chairman of the Red Cross Board of Governors.

In addition to consolidating Red Cross biomedical research into the Holland Lab, Holland began programs to raise disaster relief funds for the organization and was instrumental in building the international services department within the American Red Cross. Recognizing that the American Red Cross had a major role to play on the world stage, he convinced the Board of Governors to create a committee on international services, and was especially effective in building close ties with other Red Cross and Red Crescent societies around the world.

On February 23, the Holland Lab will celebrate its 25th anniversary.

~Hanna Malak
hmalak.nyc@gmail.com

Red Cross Unveils New State-of-the-Art Disaster Operations Center

redcrossyouth — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:48:56 +0000

“The organization provides humanitarian relief, working in conjunction with first responders and the County Office of Emergency Services. In the event of an emergency, staff here would review the disaster location, establish nearby shelters, assign volunteers and arrange for the delivery of food. All of that could be done in about an hour, according to a demonstration given by staff. Up to nine staff could operate the center with as many as 70 volunteers, with another 80 or so volunteers responding in the field.”

The system consolidates all the resources that the Red Cross has access to, in terms of both people and also emergency resources. “Being strong as individuals isn’t enough any more,” said Jerry Francisco, “We live in an integrated world now.”

The Red Cross has quickly advanced into the modern technology age in order to do its outreach.

Mohit Jain
mjain.nyc@gmail.com

For more information, check this out!

Red Cross Needs Type O Donors To Give Blood Now

redcrossyouth — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:05:25 +0000

The American Red Cross is asking eligible donors with Type O blood to make an appointment to give now to help ensure there are blood products available for patients in need.

Approximately 48 percent of the population in the United States has Type O blood. There must always be enough Type O blood on hand to meet their needs, as well as the needs of patients who may receive Type O in an emergency. Type O Negative blood is considered universal and can be transfused to anyone in emergency situations when doctors don’t have time to get the patient’s blood type.

All blood types are needed. However, there is a particular need at this time for Type O donors to give blood as soon as possible to help ensure an adequate supply is available for those who need it.

If someone would like to give blood, they must be at least 17 years of age, meet weight and height requirements and be in general good health. Donors should bring their Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID with them. Some states allow 16-year-olds to give with parental consent.

Every two seconds, someone in this country needs blood. 44,000 blood donations are needed every day to help trauma victims, surgical patients, burn victims, patients with blood disorders and many others.

To schedule a donation time or get more information about giving blood, people can visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Cold and Flu Season Preparedness

redcrossyouth — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:14:36 +0000

~Hanna Malak
hmalak.nyc@gmail.com

Haiti After Two Years with the American Red Cross!

redcrossyouth — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:30:08 +0000

Check out this interesting video!

Alabama Tornadoes: How You Can Help

redcrossyouth — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:38:55 +0000

~Hanna Malak
hmalak.nyc@gmail.com

Become a Red Cross Intern!

redcrossyouth — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:44:00 +0000

“I started in October and have this week just finished my internship as a justice and fairness co-ordinator. My role was to promote the Red Cross’ Justice and Fairness teaching resources to schools, colleges and youth groups in Somerset.” The children were encouraged to debate issues and analyse case study examples to give an understanding of war and its impact. Although not paid for her time, Lucie said she would recommend an internship with the charity.

For more information, click here!

Cabell Brand and the American Red Cross

redcrossyouth — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:49:22 +0000

Check out this inspirational video about an American Red Cross Volunteer! He says that, “there is simply to too much to do.” He spends his life working to volunteer with the American Red Cross and even sold his own business to volunteer. He embodies one of our core principles as volunteers in that, “May our commitment to humanity be strengthened as we reaffirm our promise to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found.”