Make A Difference Day: You Can Make a Difference

by Catherine Carlton, volunteer contributor

Make a Difference Day is a big deal at Red Cross, and it’s not.

It’s a big deal because so many people come together to support helping those in need. It’s not, because the Red Cross makes a difference in people’s lives every day.

My reason for giving is because life has taught me that you never know when it might be “your turn” to turn to the community for help.

For me, giving back is a priority. 

The Red Cross mission is: “The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.”

It’s the kind of mission that you can easily understand and want to be a part of. You want to help make a difference in alleviating suffering. 

Be it a fire, a floor, a tornado or earthquake, the Red Cross is often the first one there to make a difference.

You can make a difference, too.  You just have to choose what you want to do. It’s easy. Start with a day: today.  You’ll see how easy and fullfilling it is, and eventually it won’t be just a day. 

• Learn about giving blood.
• Make a donation.
• Volunteer.
• Take a class. 

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Blood Donations en Espanol

by Raul Jaurequi, volunteer contributor

I popped out of bed early on a Saturday morning and made my way from Dallas to Fort Worth with one mission in mind--I wanted to sit down and talk with a gentleman named Fernando Raga, a member of All Saints Catholic Church for the past 40 years. Raga had orchestrated a blood drive for his Latino community and in honor of Diversity Awareness Month, I wanted to know why Raga feels it’s so important for Latinos to donate blood. 

When I encountered Raga, he was moving around fast in the back rooms, pointing volunteers to their assigned areas and taking care of all the details. He squeezed in a few minutes to sit down with me in a quiet room. 

The story I heard from Raga was one that inspired me to take action, and I hope it will inspire you too. 

Like most people, Raga had a personal reason to encourage blood donations. His wife requires regular blood transfusions so he knows first-hand how critical it is to have blood available the second it’s needed. He coordinates regular blood drives, not just for his wife, but for the many people like her who require blood on a regular basis. His goal is to get at least 23 pints of blood donated at each drive. 

A high percentage of Latinos have the universal blood type, which means that our blood can be used by anyone and at any time. 

“You don’t realize that blood is needed until the tragedy happens,” said Raga. “But why wait?”

He’s right. Why wait to donate blood? Life is unexpected for all of us, but we can make certain choices now to help us prepare for those unexpected emergencies, and provide hope for those going through tough times. Maybe it’s a child who needs blood, a new mother who hemorrhaged during childbirth or a cancer patient fighting for survival. Blood is needed every minute, every day. 

After speaking with Raga, I too was inspired. So I hopped up on the bed and gave a pint. You can do the same, and you don’t have to be Latino. Go to www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment to donate and to set up a community blood drive in your area. Each donation can save up to three lives. That’s inspirational in any language. 

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Ways to Help as Sandy Prepares for Landfall

Written by Anita Foster, Chief Communications Officer, American Red Cross-North Texas Region 

Over the weekend, the American Red Cross in the Metroplex sent eight relief workers to New Jersey, New York and other areas in advance of Hurricane Sandy. With air travel all but halted, additional deployments will be delayed until after landfall. Even though North Texans are miles from the wind and rain, there are still three important action steps that local residents can take to help those impacted:

1. Give Blood. Residents in the impact zone will not be able to donate blood for the next few weeks as they'll be focused on disaster recovery. North Texans can do our part to help by ensuring we keep the nationwide blood supply stocked. To make a blood donor appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit www.redcross.org.

2. Make a Financial Gift. Mobilizing for a relief operation of this size is costly, but necessary. The Red Cross has already spent millions of dollars getting ready, and we'll spend millions more after landfall. North Texans can text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10, click on www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to make a much-needed financial donation.

3. Download the Hurricane App: This free application from the Red Cross will allow someone to receive alerts and track friends and family in the impact zone. The App is available for the iPhone and Android.

Once Hurricane Sandy makes landfall, the American Red Cross will have a better idea of how many people are directly impacted and what additional resources will be needed for relief efforts.

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