Going The Distance

Arizona Red Crossers learn how to respond to
disasters in a Yuma Public Affairs training course

Every day the Red Cross touches lives and helps people.


I hear about a mother who used CPR to save her daughter. 


I see our volunteers provide care and comfort to disaster victims when they have no where else to turn. 


I walk past a military family who needs financial support to get through a tough time.  


My job at the Red Cross is to make sure you know the impact we're having on people every single day.


One way I do that is through public affairs training.

Being a Superhero

We noticed that heroes have been a huge topic lately. From our own Arizona Daniel Hernandez to these… interesting… local vigilantes who patrol Seattle.  (Yes, they are real life super heroes. AND they donate blood!) Even the Red Cross Southern Arizona Chapter is hunting for local heroes. So we got to thinking: what does it take to be a hero? A cape and some martial art skills? Being ready at a moment's notice? Who’s a good example of a hero?

Look no further than the Red Cross woman who started it all.  Clara Barton.

Clara Barton was a pistol.  She challenged the status quo at home, at school and in the U.S. Patent Office where she earned her living after walking off the job during a dispute over pay at the school she founded (a man was hired and paid more than she was).

MLK Day of Service: Pack the Bus

According to the US Census Bureau one in four Arizona children goes to bed hungry. Also, one in five Arizona households reported not having enough money to buy food that they needed to feed their family. Can you imagine opening your refrigerator and having nothing to choose from? Nobody should be faced with this situation.

With the help of local food banks, people who face hunger now have hope. Desert Mission Food Bank is part of John C. Lincoln hospital and provides food to 1,600 families each month. We chose this food bank because of their incredible impact on the Phoenix area and the increasing demand for their services. Their mission is to provide emergency food assistance in a dignified and respectful manner to all individuals and communities. Check out this great video that explains more about the food bank:

Disaster Services

Disaster strikes in Port au Prince, Haiti, January 2010

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. While the International Red Cross, with the help of your generous support, have made much progress, there is still a lot of work to be done.

This date has brought up many inquiries about disasters and what exactly the Red Cross does when a disaster strikes.

Do you know?

When you hear the term "Disaster Services," what do you think of? Earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires... Katrina may even come to mind.

Here at the Arizona Grand Canyon Chapter, we do indeed respond to “major disasters,” every day in fact!

Being Prepared

Being prepared is important.  With the recent tragedy in Tucson, we have come to see first hand how important preparedness really is. Would you be prepared to take action like Congressional Intern Daniel Hernandez? 

Daniel Hernadez with Rep. Gabrielle
Giffords during her campaign

After Daniel saw that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was seriously wounded, he positioned Giffords so that she would not choke on her own blood. He made sure to apply pressure to both the entry and exit wounds.

Intern Hernandez had some medical training to assist him in this situation. Any training is a step in the right direction. First aid training is available to all citizens who would like to be prepared to step up in an emergency.  

CPR TRAINING:

The Grand Canyon Chapter of the American Red Cross provides first aid training in a variety of sites.  Just go to our website and click on the tab “Take a class." You can choose from a variety of classes, including CPR. You can also find a class close to you by your zip code.  

Maybe by making a commitment to be prepared for emergencies, we can minimize the hurt and protect the future. 

~ Event Coordinator Volunteer Rita Audisio