The Red Cross of Greater Chicago is pleased to join area community partners July 28 through July 31 during Fiesta del Sol’s 50th Anniversary festival. Outside of being a beacon of cultural amusement and celebration, Fiesta del Sol affords attendees access to valuable information for attendees looking for resources on a variety of topics. In addition to signing up festival goers to be blood donors and volunteers, the Red Cross will have volunteers available taking information that will help locate displaced family members through its Restoring Family Links program.

Restoring Family Links
Every year, thousands of families are separated by conflicts, disasters, and migration leaving them wondering what has happened to someone they love. The uncertainty leaves families suffering in silence, sometimes for years. The American Red Cross Restoring Family Links program can help look for missing relatives and has reconnected thousands of people with loved ones. If you’re looking for someone, the Red Cross may be able to help. There are three ways you can access services: Contact your local Red Cross office, online at redcross.org/reconnectingfamilies, or by calling 844-782-9441. If you are attending Fiesta del Sol, stop by the Red Cross booth for more information.

Blood Donors Needed
The need for blood does not take a summer break. The American Red Cross collects 40% of the nation’s blood supply, and this time of year, blood donations are especially important to maintain a stable supply.
The Red Cross is grateful to the hundreds of thousands of individuals who have rolled up a sleeve to give in early 2022. It’s important to remember donated blood has a limited shelf life, so supplies must be constantly replenished. In the days and weeks ahead, it’s critically important to maintain a readily available blood supply. Donors can make an appointment by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
The American Red Cross of Illinois invites Fiesta del Sol attendees to stop by their booth to make an appointment to donate blood.

Volunteers Needed
Red Cross volunteers will be at Fiesta del Sol sharing their volunteer experience and signing up community members to be Red Cross volunteers. Volunteers make up 90 percent of the Red Cross workforce. To sign up to be a volunteer and respond to individuals impacted by disasters such as home fires, visit redcross.org/volunteer.
“We are incredibly proud to be at Fiesta del Sol,” says Celena Roldán, American Red Cross of Illinois CEO. “Participating in events like Fiesta del Sol not only brings us closer to the people we serve, but it gives us the opportunity to recruit great volunteers to our team as well as blood donors – as there is always a need for blood. Additionally, with our participation at Fiesta del Sol, we are able to provide community members with information on services and resources available at the Red Cross that they may not otherwise have the opportunity to receive.”
Supporting communities and bringing awareness to the various services available at the Red Cross further supports the mission of preventing and alleviating human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Fiesta del Sol attendees are encouraged to visit the Red Cross booth for more information on how to become a volunteer, secure a blood donation appointment, or to learn the process on locating a missing relative.

WHAT: Fiesta del Sol
WHERE: 1000 W. Cermak Road, Chicago, IL

WHEN: Thursday, July 28 through Sunday, July 31
TIME: Thursday: 5 pm - 10 pm
Friday & Saturday: 11 am - 11 pm
Sunday: 11 am - 10 pm

About the American Red Cross of Illinois
The American Red Cross of Illinois serves 12.4 million people in 88 counties in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri including Adams, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cook, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, De Witt, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Green, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Putnam, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermillion, Warren, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson Winnebago, Woodford. Iowa: Lee, Muscatine, Scott and Van Buren. Missouri: Clark, Lewis, Marion and Ralls. 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 us at Redcross.org/Illinois or visit us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @RedCrossIL.

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