Montana Red Cross Asks Public to Give Help and Hope This Holiday Season

As the holidays draw near, most people are making plans to enjoy the season with their loved ones. But for many, the holiday season will be a very difficult time, especially in the Midwest where thousands are without homes following the tornado outbreak there. Montana Red Cross is asking people to remember those in need this year by giving something meaningful – giving help and hope to those in need.

“Make the holiday season truly meaningful by lending a hand to people who need your help,” said Rod Kopp, CEO of Montana Red Cross. “Your support can help a victim of disaster, someone who needs blood, a member of the Armed Forces far from home.”

There are many ways to support the American Red Cross.

Support Disaster Relief

From the Oklahoma tornadoes, to the Colorado floods, to the summer wildfires across the west, to Typhoon Haiyan and the recent tornadoes in the Midwest—disasters affected thousands of people this year. Many lost everything they owned. Every nine minutes the Red Cross responds to a disaster somewhere in the US. A financial donation can help the nearly 70,000 people in the United States who turn to the Red Cross every year for assistance with disasters big and small, and the many we also help internationally.

Volunteer

One of the greatest gifts someone can give is the gift of time by becoming a Red Cross volunteer. There are many ways someone can volunteer with the Red Cross in their local community. Visit the Montana Red Cross web site at http://www.redcross.org/montana to learn how.

Remember Our Service Members, Veterans And Their Families

Many members of the military will be separated from their loved ones during the holidays this year. To lift their spirits, the public can send thank you cards to members of the Armed Forces through the Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program. The mailbox closes on December 6. Please send your cards to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes

P.O. Box 5456

Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Donate Blood

As many as 44,000 blood donations are needed every day across the country to meet the needs of hospital patients. During the holiday season, it is very difficult to collect enough blood for those who need it. People get busy with their holiday preparations and celebrations and giving blood is not a priority. A blood donation to the Red Cross can save up to three lives.

Buy A Tax-Deductable Gift That Makes A Difference

As people look for meaningful gifts this year, the Montana Red Cross invites everyone to visit http://www.redcross.org/montana where they can purchase a variety of symbolic gifts in the name of the people on their gift list this year. Shoppers can buy things like infant care kits for babies in emergency shelters, comfort kits for wounded warriors, or water containers used when natural disasters disrupt a community’s water supply overseas. Catalog purchases come with greeting cards shoppers can send to a friend or loved one, letting them know a donation has been made in their name. The purchase of each gift item is a tax-deductible contribution that supports the mission of the Red Cross.

“This holiday season, we ask people to remember all those who are looking to the Red Cross for help,” said Kopp. “Please give generously.”

About the American Red Cross:

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 http://www.redcross.org/montana or visit us on Twitter at @MontanaRedCross.