For more than 140 years the Red Cross has been supporting people impacted by disasters.
Locally, a lot of that has meant volunteers showing up to house fires and providing support to people who lost everything.
Since the start of this year, there’s been more than 150 house fires in Wisconsin and the U.P.
Volunteers with the Red Cross are showing up to offer support.
“They’re there offering not only assistance with different services they may need after losing everything but also that spiritual support,” said Kathryn Halvorsen. She’s the executive director of the north central chapter of Wisconsin’s Red Cross.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the American Red Cross Month Celebration.
It’s a celebration of the work Red Cross volunteers do like responding to house fires or natural disasters.
It’s also a way to get more people involved.
“There are so many different options. From disaster response volunteers to blood ambassadors and helping with different blood drives, there are plenty of options. We also have case worker volunteers, people who might be looking to become a counselor, that might be of interest to you too,” said Halvorsen.
Halvorsen also says she’s looking for people to fill open positions on the local board of directors and committee roles.
Financial donations also help the Red Cross accomplish its mission.
“90 cents of every dollar spent is invested in delivering care. For our donors who are looking, we do have March 22 coming up. That’s our annual Red Cross Giving Day. That campaign is meant to help provide shelter, food and relief items, emotional support and just so much assistance for anyone affected by disaster,” said Halvorsen.
You can find more information on how to get involved on the Red Cross website.
