Starting a Red Cross Club

How to Start a Red Cross Club

What is a Red Cross Club?

Imagine hanging out with your closest friends and helping your community at the same time – you’ll be able to do just that when you start a Red Cross Club! A Red Cross Club is an extension of a local Red Cross region or Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) Station where you’ll be able to serve the community with your friends. Along with training and leadership development opportunities, you can choose mission-related activities in your community, while delivering lifesaving services of the Red Cross. You’ll plan and implement projects that can save hundreds of lives from blood drives to disaster preparedness education.

Checklist: Getting Started

Review the full Club in a Box here!

Step 1: Recruit a Few “Start-Up” People

Recruit 3–6 people to help you get the Club up and running.
Share this guide with new recruits and work together to set up your Club.

Step 2: Find a Sponsor/Advisor

Your ideal candidate is likely to be a member of the faculty/staff at your school who has

A strong commitment and experience working with youth and young adults.
Familiarity with the Red Cross. Your Sponsor could also be a parent or community volunteer.
Also, having Red Cross training (CPR, disaster training, volunteer management training, etc.) is a plus.

Step 3: Get Approval from Your Red Cross Region

Search for the nearest Red Cross region or SAF station by zip code at redcross.org.
Ask who’s responsible for youth volunteers. This person is commonly known as the Youth Engagement Lead or can be a volunteer supervisor within Volunteer Services.
Schedule an in-person or phone meeting to learn about the local region and requirements for starting a Club. This person will be key to helping your Club get connected.

Step 4: Get Approval from Your School

Ask about the requirements your school has for starting a club. You may be required to have: a Constitution, leadership positions, and a Sponsor – all of which are linked in the Club in a Box toolkit. These requirements are important if you want to receive school funding or resources, such as meeting rooms and permission to hold events on campus.
Create a presentation that articulates the benefits of having a Red Cross Club.

Step 5: Register Your Club

All Club members are considered Red Cross volunteers and must register in Volunteer Connection, our online volunteer management system.
Note: In accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, people under the age of 13 cannot be registered in Volunteer Connection, but can still be a member of your Red Cross Club. Members under the age of 13 must complete a parental consent form that your Red Cross region will provide and then submit the form to be recognized as a Volunteer and Club member.

You’ll also need to register your Club in Volunteer Connection.
Contact your Red Cross region to attend or host a Volunteer Orientation for your Club.
Submit a Club Constitution to the region when you start your Club and at the beginning of each school year.

Step 6: Hold Your First Club Meeting

Invite your Red Cross Contact to join the meeting to answer questions, provide support, and guidance in setting up the Club’s action plan for the year:
Find out what interests the members and brainstorm activity ideas that must align with the Red Cross Lines of Service.
Collect the members’ contact information so you can publicize the next meeting.
Announce when and where the next meeting will be held.
Prepare for elections by informing members about available positions and request applications.
Provide sign-up information to Club members about sign up to be a Red Cross volunteer, register in Volunteer Connection, and officially join the Red Cross Club.

Checklist: Up and Running

Keep in Touch with Your Red Cross Region

The Club and Sponsor need to keep in touch with the Red Cross region, especially when starting
the Club. Staying connected will ensure a better working relationship and continued support in the future.
Submit your Club Events form after every event and/or service project on your Red Cross Club’s GroupShare page in Volunteer Connection.
Track and submit the hours your Club members spend volunteering for activities, meeting, or on administrative tasks.

Build on Your Momentum to Keep Your Club Active

Plan and coordinate a minimum of three Red Cross mission service projects per year.
Use our Activity Guides to implement existing service projects!
Follow Brand Standard Guidelines when developing emails or fliers. Only use the national Red Cross/Zorch E-store vendor available to Red Cross workforce for any promotional products.