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What
is the American Red Cross?
The
American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by
volunteers, dedicated to helping people prevent, prepare for
and respond to emergencies. More than 700 local chapters are
located throughout the United States, its territories and U.S.
military installations around the world. Our major lines of
service are disaster preparedness and relief, safety and
health education and services to military personnel and their
families. In addition, many chapters are involved in blood
collection and distribution.
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What
is the Mission of the American Red Cross?
The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by
volunteers, guided by its Congressional Charter and the
Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross
Movement, will provide relief to victims of disasters and help
people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
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Who
founded the Red Cross?
Swiss businessman, Henri Dunant, founded the Red Cross
Movement after witnessing an 1859 battle outside the northern
Italian town of Solferino. At nightfall, he saw 40,000 dead
and wounded soldiers strewn about the battlefield without
medical attention and began organizing care for the wounded.
Dunant remembered the horror and worked to establish a
society for aid of those wounded in battle.
In 1864, the first “Geneva Convention” established
the International Committee of the Red Cross and specified
that the “red cross” would be a protective emblem for
medical personnel, equipment, and facilities.
Today,
the Red Cross Movement incorporates the Geneva-based
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (the International Federation), as well as National
Societies in 175 countries, including the ARC.
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Who
founded the American Red Cross?
Clara Barton founded the American Association of the Red Cross
on May 21, 1881. Having voluntarily cared for soldiers during
the American Civil War, she had become deeply committed to
establishing an organization in the United States that would
help relieve human suffering. She was inspired after reading
Henry Dunant's book A Memory of Solferino. Dunant was
the found of the Red Cross movement in Geneva, Switzerland.
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Why
are symbols other than a red cross used by other National
Societies within the Movement?
Although
the red cross is not a religious symbol, some societies view
it as such. The symbol of the red crescent is used instead of
the red cross by societies in most Islamic countries; and the
Magen David Adom, or Red Shield of David, is used in Israel.
The Red Crystal is also an approved emblem.
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Is
the American Red Cross part of the U.S. government?
The
ARC functions independently of the government but works
closely with government agencies, such as the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), during times of major
crises. It is responsible for giving aid to members of the
U.S. Armed Forces and to disaster victims at home and abroad.
It does this through services that are consistent with its
Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement allowing the
Red Cross to stay neutral and impartial.
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When
was the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus established?
The
American Red Cross of Greater Columbus was granted a charter
on July 3, 1916. The
Columbus chapter's roots reach to the great flood of 1913,
which struck this and other cities in Ohio and Indiana.
Thousands lost their homes and were injured, and more than 500
died. The national Red Cross came to the aid of central
Ohioans, and Columbus residents were inspired a few years
later to form their own chapter to help in future emergencies
and to support U.S. troops.
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What
does the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus do?
The
American Red Cross of Greater Columbus:
-
Prepares
for major disasters, including new threats to Homeland
Security
-
Provides
relief to local fire victims
-
Helps
military families face emergencies
-
Saves
lives through education and information
-
Drives
seniors and others to life-sustaining medical appointments
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How
is the American
Red Cross of
Greater Columbus funded?
The
Red Cross is an independent, not-for-profit volunteer
organization that primarily relies on people like you for
support. Your donations of time and money make their work
possible. In addition, to seeking individual donations, the
Red Cross raises funds in cooperation with the United Way of
Central Ohio and the United Ways in Fayette, Madison and
Pickaway counties. The Red
Cross also solicits funding through corporations and
foundations and government contracts or grants.
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Who
are Red Cross volunteers?
Red
Cross volunteers are your neighbors, your co-workers and your
friends. People of all ages, races and creeds donate their
time to help make their communities better, safer places to
live. Information
on Volunteer activities and opportunities can be found on our
website or by calling Volunteer Resources at
614.253.2740
Ext. 2355.
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What
can I do to help?
There
are a wide variety of volunteer opportunities at the Red Cross
to support all of the organization's services. People who wish
to volunteer in greater Columbus should contact Volunteer
Resources at 614.253.2740 Ext. 2355. International disaster relief workers are drawn from a
pool of paid and volunteer staff with extensive prior
experience.
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What
does the American Red Cross
do in disasters?
- Emergency shelter,
food, and mental health services to address basic human
needs.
- Provides basic assistance,
e.g., groceries, new clothing, temporary housing,
medicines, emergency home repairs, transportation and
basic household items.
- Helps with long-term
recovery when other resources, i.e., insurance benefits
and government assistance, are not available or are
inadequate to meet disaster-caused needs.
- Serves as an information
and referral source to help those affected obtain other
resources
- Emergency communication
between disaster victims and family members located
outside the disaster area.
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Is
there a charge for disaster relief services?
No. All American Red
Cross disaster relief is provided free of charge. It is
made possible through generous gifts of time and money that
people make to the American Red Cross.
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Do
you accept donations of clothing and other household items?
We
do not accept donations of used clothing or other household
items. The American Red Cross provides vouchers to families
who have lost personal items during a disaster (fire, flood,
hurricane, etc) so that they can purchase new items. There are several other organizations in Columbus that
accept these types of donations including the Salvation Army
and the Volunteers of America.
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What
type of Health and Safety training does the Red Cross offer?
For
more than a century, the American Red Cross has been saving
lives with health and safety education programs. Red Cross
training ranges from first aid, CPR and AED to swimming, lifeguarding; from
and babysitter’s training. American Red Cross programs help
people live safer and healthier lives. The Red Cross
constantly strives to respond to the health and safety
concerns of Americans at home, in school and in the workplace.
Today’s innovative programs also include teaching lay
persons and professionals how to use automated external
defibrillators (AEDs) to save victims of sudden cardiac
arrest. More
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How
do I sign up for a Red Cross course?
Click
here to learn more.
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I
lost my lost my training certificate, how do I get it
replaced?
If
you lost your and want a replacement call Customer Service at
614.251.1444 to make the request. You will need the
following information: name of course, where it was held, name
of instructor and completion date. This information will
help speed up the process. The cost of a duplicate
certificate is $5. Payment must be received in full
before a replacement certificate can be processed.
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Does
the Red Cross offer scholarships for Health and Safety
Training?
Scholarships
are available to those individuals in greater Columbus
recognized as being in need of financial assistance.
Scholarship applications are available in our Customer Service
area. For more information call 614.251.1444.
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What
is the connection between the Red Cross and members of the
armed forces and their families?
American
Red Cross emergency communication services keep military
personnel in touch with their families following the death or
serious illness of a family member or other important events,
such as the birth of a child. The Red Cross sends messages
quickly, anywhere in the world, including ships at sea,
embassies and to isolated military units. The information or
verification in a message assists the service member's
commanding officer in making a decision regarding emergency
leave.
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What
is the role of Red Cross workers with the military in time of
conflict?
The Red Cross mission is to
keep the American people in touch with their family members
serving in the armed forces. To accomplish this work, Red
Cross workers frequently deploy on assignment with military
forces to keep the communication link operational around the
clock and around the globe. Other Red Cross services are made
available to military personnel on an as needed basis just as
they are in the civilian communities.
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Who
qualifies for the Community Transportation Program?
The
American Red Cross of Greater Columbus Community
Transportation Program offers medical and non-medical
transportation throughout Franklin County. Transportation is
provided to those who qualify either through a third party
payer such as Franklin County Senior Options, Title III or
through the local support of the Red Cross general fund and
the United Way. For
the most part seniors must be age 60 or above and low income.
Rides are also available for disabled individuals and
referrals from the Columbus Cancer Clinic and the Multiple
Sclerosis Society.
How
does the American Red Cross serve people worldwide?
The
American Red Cross works with a global network of Red Cross,
Red Crescent and equivalent societies to restore hope and
dignity to the world's vulnerable people. This international
Red Cross movement brings emergency relief to disaster
victims, and improves basic living conditions of those in
chronically deprived areas of the world. Guided by our seven
Fundamental Principles — Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality,
Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality —
the ARC partners with countless organizations in the efficient
and effective relief of human suffering and the empowerment of
people with the skills they need to help themselves.
The
American Red Cross is currently working with our sister
societies in Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the
Americas and in the former Soviet Union. With the generous
support of the American people, the ARC has developed into one
of the strongest and most respected humanitarian service
organizations in the world.
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What
is the Holocaust and War Victims Tracing Center?
The
Holocaust and War Victims Tracing Center is the national
clearinghouse for persons seeking--
· The fates of loved ones missing since the Holocaust.
· Documentation of: forced labor, forced evacuation from
former Soviet territories, internment in concentration camps,
or deportation required for reparations.
The
Holocaust and War Victims Tracing Center assists American
residents and conducts searches on behalf of individuals
living outside the United States for relatives believed to
have immigrated to the United States.
Tracing requests are made through local chapters of the
Red Cross.
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What
did the American Red Cross do with all the money donated after
Sept. 11, 2001?
The
generous outpouring of contributions to the ARC due to the
unprecedented nature of the events of September 11, 2001, was
extraordinary. As it was clear donors were giving in response
to the disaster, the ARC departed from its usual practices and
developed a separate, segregated fund called the Liberty
Disaster Relief Fund. Millions
of donors from the U.S. and around the world gave just over $1
billion to the Liberty Fund in an unparalleled show of care
and concern.
Former
Sen. George Mitchell was asked to serve as the independent
overseers of the Liberty Fund.
In his final report on the fund, Mitchell said the
distribution plan that he developed “has gone a long way
toward meeting the needs of those who suffered losses,
honoring the intent of the donors and providing assistance
consistent with the mission and traditions of the Red
Cross.”
Click
here to learn more.
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Who
determines the salary of American Red Cross managers?
A
local board of directors governs all Red Cross chapters. Each
chapter board is made up of local leaders who volunteer their
time to guide the delivery of essential Red Cross services
relevant to their community.
It
is these boards that determine and approve each chapter
executive's salary. Salaries are based on the individual’s
level of experience, while taking into consideration the cost
of living in their chapter jurisdiction, local market
conditions and the comparable salaries of Red Cross chapter
executives at other chapters of similar size.
The
ARC believes that allowing local leadership to determine
chapter executive salaries is fair and necessary to ensure
that the most competent managers can continue to be recruited
to fill these important community leadership roles.
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How
much does the national president of the American Red Cross get
paid?
As required by law, certain executive compensation
amounts are being fully disclosed in the charity's tax
information return, IRS Form 990.All information in the ARC Form 990 is being made
available in its entirety on the charity's public Web site, click
here to learn more.
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