The American Red Cross is an independent, non-profit organization that relies primarily on the generosity of the American people, corporations, and foundations for support.  The Red Cross is not a government agency.  Assistance to victims is provided free of charge and is made possible through the generosity of the American public.

Each year, the American Red Cross provides immediate assistance to the victims of more than 67,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires (which comprise the majority of Red Cross's disaster responses), earthquakes, floods, hazardous materials spills, hurricanes, tornadoes, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters as well as providing disaster relief workers and materials to assist with the recovery of the affected area.   

On average the American Red Cross responds to a disaster every 8 minutes.  That comes to about 7.82 disasters per hour, and 187 disasters every 24 hours.  On average, 1,314 disasters will occur in a week, and the Red Cross responds to each of these disasters.  Some disasters are more visible then others, but each is equally devastating to the victims.  Donations to The American Red Cross in general and the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund allow the Red Cross to respond to these disasters quickly.

Gifts the the American Red Cross are tax deductible and will be acknowledged according to IRS regulations.

Learn more about:

If you are not from Blount County, TN, and you wish to locate your local chapter, click here.  

Types of Donations

    Donate by Phone (National System)

If you're calling to make a contribution to your local Red Cross chapter, please mention Local Chapter. To donate for disaster relief, please mention the Disaster Relief Fund. And to call in a donation for international relief, please mention the International Response Fund.

If you wish to make a contribution to other American Red Cross initiatives, the 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-435-7669) agent will assist you further. This will ensure that your contribution goes to your choice of funds.

National Disaster or International Disaster Donations:

Checks may be mailed or delivered to the Blount County Chapter with the designation of National Disaster Fund, a specific disaster, or international situation or country (just note on the "for line" of your check).

Donor Intent

In the wake of the numerous contributions made following the tragedy of Sept. 11th, the American Red Cross has reinvented the protocol for dealing with donations.  The Red Cross honors the donor's intent meaning that every dollar donated to a specific effort or area such as the World Trade Center disaster relief effort or to floods in Mississippi will go directly to that effort, and assist with the immediate and long term needs of the victims of those disasters.  And any other contributions without expressed donor intent will go to the areas in which they are needed in Red Cross relief and work efforts.  Red Cross makes press releases when the necessary funds for a specific disaster have been raised, but other disasters are still occurring around the world, so donors should not stop giving because sufficient funds have been raised for one disaster.

For more information, click here.

The Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund:

The Disaster Relief Fund provides the financial support for the Red Cross Response to more than 67,000 disasters each year - including floods, fires, hurricanes, and more.  The fund operates as a revolving account, enabling the Red Cross to respond immediately to disasters and ensuring that victims get comparable assistance regardless of the visibility of the disaster or the ability of the community to support Red Cross efforts.  Red Cross disaster assistance is free of charge and typically includes such essential services as food, shelter, mental health counseling and other basic relief services that will assist and lead to recovery.

The American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross is dedicated to saving live, easing suffering and restoring hope at home and around the world.  Currently operating on a budget of $3 billion, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to the victims of more than 67,000 disasters nationwide and has been the primary supplier of lifesaving blood and blood products in the United States for more than 50 years.  In 2001, the Red Cross also trained almost 12 million people in vital lifesaving skills, provided direct health services to nearly 2.6 million people and delivered more than 21 million locally relevant community services.  The organization also assisted international disaster and conflict victims in close to 40 locations around the globe, and its emergency communication centers processed 1.2 million calls in support of U.S. military families.

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Copyright © 2007 Blount County Chapter of the American Red Cross
Last modified: 04/24/08