TAMPA, Fla. -- March 1, 2023 -- This March marks the 80th annual Red Cross Month, a national tradition that began in 1943 when President Franklin D. Roosevel issued the first Red Cross Month proclamation. Decades later, the humanitarian spirit lives in the heart of our community volunteers -- everyday heroes who rally together to provide relief and home when help can't wait. 

From climate-drive disasters like Hurricane Ian to global emergencies, 2022 was a moving reminder of the power of the Red Cross – with a workforce of more than 90% volunteers – to provide humanitarian aid in times of need. The month-long celebration honors these heroes who donate their time, talent and treasure.

“Whether an emergency is felt by an entire community or a single person, it turns lives upside down – especially for the most vulnerable who depend on the Red Cross for help and hope,” said Eric Corliss, Regional CEO of the American Red Cross of Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “Our humanitarian mission wouldn’t be possible without the power of volunteers and generosity of donors.”

While 2022 will be remembered for Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, other local emergencies didn’t stop. Here are a few highlights of local activities for the calendar year:
 

• 5,542 local volunteers contributed 119,766 hours of service in our communities
• 1,821 families received emergency aid after local disasters, 92% of which were home fires
• 2,427 local military families received 7,460 emergency services like global emergency communications and access to financial assistance

In a visual show of support for Red Cross Month, landmarks and iconic buildings across the U.S. will be illuminated RED on Wednesday, March 22 for Red Cross Giving Day. Within Central Florida, we are pleased to be partnering once again with the Cities of Tampa and Orlando, as well as a number of other municipal buildings and private entities, for this annual lighting activity. A detailed list of partners will be shared later this month.

WAYS TO PARTICIPATE  We invite Floridians to participate in Red Cross Month and make a difference in their communities:

• GIVE FINANCIALLY Every eight minutes in the U.S., someone affected by a disaster is helped by the Red Cross. To donate, visit redcross.org/GivingDay.
• VOLUNTEER TO HELP When help can’t wait, volunteers provide families with the support they need. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to get started.
• LEARN LIFESAVING SKILLS Sign up to take a First Aid/CPR/AED class at redcross.org/take-a-class to be prepared to act in moments that matter.
• DONATE BLOOD Although the Red Cross does not operate blood banks in Florida, we understand the critical need to ensure lifesaving blood is available. That’s why we have partnered with OneBlood to bring a mobile unit to our St. Petersburg office on Thursday, March 16. Register for that drive HERE, or search for an accredited blood collection location by zip code at aabb.org/giveblood.

WITH APPRECIATION The generosity of community partners enables the Red Cross to prepare and respond when disasters strike. With tremendous gratitude, we acknowledge our 2023 Ready 365 Giving Circle members for their annual support: BayCare, Bloomin’ Brands, Circle K, Darden Restaurants, L3Harris Technologies, Mattamy Homes, The NASCAR Foundation, Orlando City Soccer, Publix, Raymond James, The Spurlino Family Foundation, Tupperware, Badcock Home Furniture & More, The BRANDT Foundation, LEGOLAND Florida, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Yankees, Erik Abrahamson (Abrahamson & Uiterwyk), Avatar Non-Profit Inc., Hilton Grand Vacations, Lockheed Martin, William G. & Marie Selby Foundation, TECO Tampa Electric, TECO Peoples Gas, TopBuild, Walmart, Yara International, Associated Construction Products Inc. (ACP), Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Metal Industries Foundation Inc., Oracle, SouthState Bank, Space Coast Credit Union, TD SYNNEX, The Joe and Sarah Galloway Foundation, Arbitration Forums, Fay-Constructive Foundation Inc., MarineMax, Paul B and Constance D Hunter Charitable Foundation, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation, UMA Education Inc.

The American Red Cross of Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands serves 19 Florida counties through five chapters: Florida’s Space Coast (Daytona Beach), Greater Orlando, Mid-Florida (Winter Haven), Southwest Florida (Sarasota) and Tampa Bay; and the Virgin Islands territories of St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John and Water Island. For more information, visit redcross.org. Also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

# # #