March Monthly Focus: March is Red Cross Month

What is Red Cross Month?

In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation declaring March as Red Cross Month! During Red Cross Month is an annual event that aims to turn compassion into action during times of crisis. This year, the National Youth Council is hosting a variety of events and sharing a diverse group of resources in order to celebrate and engage our volunteer workforce.

What is Giving Day?

One of the many special days during this upcoming Red Cross Month is Giving Day! Celebrated on Wednesday, March 23rd, Giving Day is an opportunity for local communities to come together on one day to help the families who have been impacted by a home fire or other disaster and who urgently need Red Cross services to get back on their feet. Giving Day takes place in order to recognize the people who make our mission possible — volunteers, blood donors, people trained in lifesaving skills and our supporters — who step up to aid others when #HelpCantWait.

To help support this mission, you can get involved by helping to provide shelter, food, relief, emotional support, and other assistance by making a donation at redcross.org/GivingDay. You can also help by spreading the word and encouraging friends and family to provide assistance by spreading the hashtag #HelpCantWait.

How Can You Get Involved?

The National Youth Council will be hosting a variety of events this upcoming month! We will be breaking down March into five sessions, each focusing on a different category. Session one focuses on lifesaving skills, session two reinforces the importance of diversity in our workforce and communities, session three showcases how to stay prepared during times of disaster, session four demonstrates the need and importance of our international services, and session five brings attention to the importance and necessity of blood donors within our nation. Stay tuned to our Facebook group and Instagram for more details!

Below are some more ways and events to get involved this following month!

• At the American Red Cross, we are committed to upholding the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion by consistently delivering our products, goods, and services, in a culturally competent manner. To support this mission, the National Youth Council is hosting our “Red Cross in Colors” event on March 5, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. ET. Join us as we celebrate the diversity of our volunteer workforce, learn more about each other in small groups, and share our favorite aspects of our culture and experiences! RSVP for the session here.
• Join March’s Crash Course Call on March 20th by signing up with this link! Learn more about how you can improve your resume and develop professional skills through talks with our National Field Ambassadors!
• March is Women’s History Month. Recognized as a national celebration in 1981 by Congress, this special month celebrates the contributions women have made to the United States and recognizes the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields. To celebrate, the National Youth Council will be running a social media spotlight about the contributions of different women to the American Red Cross. Get involved by following our social media pages and promoting our initiatives!
• The National Youth Council is giving all youth around the nation to turn their ideas and projects into an official Red Cross Youth & Young Resource. In this competition, you and your group will compile a resource, stating its specific purpose, procedure and results you hope to see. By the end of the month, the Council will convene and select a winning project based off of feasibility, creativity, and community involvement/impact. In addition to the winner’s project becoming an official Red Cross Resource, winners will earn shoutouts on Red Cross social media and next month’s issue of YouthWire! Stay tuned to our Instagram for more information!
• Show your support for Red Cross Month by taking part in our Giving Day fundraiser! By launching a virtual fundraiser on Tiltify, you can help cover the cost of over 50 local disasters. Every $700 raised covers the cost of 1 local disaster response, and as we approach Giving Day on March 23, we hope that you’ll join others in making a lifesaving difference by providing food, shelter, supplies, and essential assistance and services in times of crisis.
• The entire Council will be hosting a game-based event at the end of this month where participants will compete in groups to successfully pass various Red Cross scenarios. Look out for more information to come!
  

Navin Narayan College Scholarship – Open to High School Seniors

A dedicated Red Cross youth volunteer himself, Navin Narayan was a high-achieving Harvard graduate and a former National Youth Council Chair, who tragically succumbed to cancer. To honor his impact on the Red Cross, the National Youth Council has continued Navin Narayan’s legacy of volunteerism and academic excellence by awarding the Navin Narayan College Scholarship to a high school senior who embodies the principles Navin championed. This scholarship is a one-time award of $1,000 paid directly to one recipient upon proof of matriculation and it is now accepting applications.

We encourage any high school seniors to visit this page here to learn more about the scholarship (please note that there are eligibility requirements). The application is due by March 11th, 11:59 pm ET so make sure you apply soon!