O-positive and O-negative blood supplies are approaching critical levels.
The Western Maryland Chapter of the Red Cross touches hundreds of lives every day. Their mission is to help people prevent, prepare for, and cope with emergencies. they provide a wide range of services including blood drives to the citizens of Allegheny, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington Counties.
For more than a century, the American Red Cross has worked to help people prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. Each and every day the Red Cross helps communities by providing disaster response, most often for home fires, support for military members and their families, life-saving trainings courses, the collection and distribution of much needed blood and blood products, support for international issue, meaningful volunteer opportunities, and so much more.
Each year Americans work with the Red Cross as volunteers serving local community needs. Every day, Red Cross volunteers provide a broad array of vital services to people in need in the Greater Chesapeake Region which includes most Maryland counties. Areas in which you may volunteer in the Western Maryland Region including:
ARMED FORCES EMERGENCY SERVICES: Provides worldwide communication in time of family emergencies, counseling, emergency financial assistance, information and referral services to active military and their families.
BLOOD SERVICES: Holds blood drives throughout the year for area hospital patients. Donors must be 17 and older (16 with parental consent).
DISASTER SERVICES: Provides emergency assistance to persons affected by large and small disasters including fire, flood, and hurricanes. Offers food, clothing and shelter as needed.
HEALTH and SAFETY EDUCATION: Trained volunteers teach courses in CPR/AED, first aid, babysitting and water safety. Certificates are awarded upon successful completion of course.
YOUTH SERVICES: Provides various Red Cross youth courses and programs including leadership training, community services, health awareness and inter-generational enrichment.
If you have an interest in volunteering in some capacity for the local Red Cross use this link: https://www.redcross.org/local/maryland-delaware/volunteer.html