President Obama: Honorary Chairman

by Catherine Carlton, volunteer contributor

It started with a tweet.

And has expanded to honorary chair of the American Red Cross.

President Barack Obama sent his first-ever tweet at the American Red Cross and now serves as the organizations honorary chair.

In this capacity, President Obama’s duties include appointing the chairman of the Board of Governors and designating members of his Administration to serve on the Red Cross Cabinet Council. As honorary chair, the President’s signature is on the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit National Lifesaving Award, the organization’s highest award for people who have used the skills they learned in Red Cross courses to help save or sustain a life.

President Obama’s involvement was enhanced during the earthquake in Haiti. He hit “send” on a Red Cross tweet about his visit to the Disaster Operations Center in Washington, D.C. It was his first activity in Twittersphere.

The relationship between the American Red Cross and the federal government is unique. The Red Cross is an independent entity that is organized and exists as a nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable institution pursuant to a charter granted to us by the United States Congress. Unlike other congressionally chartered organizations, the Red Cross maintains a special relationship with the federal government.

We have the legal status of “a federal instrumentality,” due to our charter requirements to carry out responsibilities delegated to us by the federal government. Among these responsibilities are:

• to fulfill the provisions of the Geneva Conventions, to which the United States is a signatory, assigned
• to national societies for the protection of victims of conflict,
• to provide family communications and other forms of support to the U.S. military, and
• to maintain a system of domestic and international disaster relief, including mandated responsibilities under the National Response Framework coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

This President's Day, we thank President Obama for his support on Twitter, during disasters and ensuring our organization has the right people leading it.

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Severe Weather Awareness Week: 5 Tips to Stay Safe During Severe Weather

Photo Courtesy of redorbit.com

by Catherine Carlton, volunteer contributor

Severe weather has threatened nearly every part of the country already this year. The American Red Cross has steps you can take to help stay safe if dangerous storms threaten their neighborhood.

Step one: Refresh your household disaster plans. Jim Cantore, The Weather Channel meteorologist and member of the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet, offers tips on what to do now to be ready when emergency strikes.

Step two: Download the free Red Cross tornado app for mobile devices. The tornado app puts everything you need to know to stay safe in a tornado at your fingertips.

Step three: Thunderstorms are most likely to happen in the spring and summer, during the afternoon and evening. However, like tornadoes, they can happen anywhere, at any hour of the day. Watch for storm signs and go inside. If you are outside or driving, there are things you should do to remain safe. Information about what to do before, during and after a thunderstorm is available on this web site.

Step four: Spring can be a time of year for flooding. People should be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice and head for higher ground when a flood or flash flood warning is issued. Other safety steps include

Step five: The Red Cross first aid app (DOWNLOAD APPS FOR MOBILE DEVICES) puts expert advice for everyday emergencies at someone’s fingertips. The shelter finder lets someone know where Red Cross shelters are open. The free apps can be downloaded from the iTunes or Google Play stores by searching for American Red Cross.

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Recognizing Mother's Day and My Mom: Volunteer Extraordinaire

by Catherine Carlton, volunteer contributor and proud daughter of Jennifer Enders 

Catherine Carlton & her mom, Jennifer Enders

My mom is the ultimate volunteer. And I have her to thank for one of the main reasons I volunteer for community organizations such as the Red Cross. 

Ask her to do something, and she’s not just immediately saying yes, she’s adding to your request with suggestions on what else she can do to help.

Being her daughter – this has its privileges as well. 

“Can you pick up Jeffrey from school?” 
“Yes, and I have made pasta and a salad for you for dinner.” 

My mom belongs to many groups (both here in Texas and in California where she splits her time) and is always one upping herself on what else she can do to help others.

She not only wants to help the organization, she does special things to recognize her fellow volunteers. She does “tribute” cards to thank volunteers of the Music Center in Los Angeles and soon will be bringing this lovely tradition to the Newcomers Group of Arlington. She is always the camera woman taking photos so she can do a tribute DVD to highlight the people making a difference. 

But really it comes back to her desire to give back. 

She delivers Meals on Wheels. She is a docent at three nonprofits. And she gives her time to many more. 

She often quotes Erma Bombeck when she describes why volunteering is important. 

"Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation's compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain love for one another." 
-Erma Bombeck

Following that quote, that means I reflect my mom.

And I am so proud to do so as a volunteer with the American Red Cross.

Happy Mother's Day. 

To begin your volunteer legacy with the Red Cross, join us at redcross.org/dfw.

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Spring Into Action, Volunteer and Change Lives

by Catherine Carlton, volunteer contributor 

It’s the first day of Spring. The seasons change. The animals start to have their babies, and we celebrate the beginning of longer days. 

What better way to spend those longer days than by volunteering and giving back to your community?

Volunteers helping at a shelter
during Hurricane Issac

The Red Cross makes it easy to volunteer in a variety of ways. 

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood supply; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.

The next number is what makes all of that work truly remarkable: The Red Cross is made up of a group of people who want to dedicate their time and talents to bringing good to the world, more than 90% of whom are volunteers. 

Want to truly put a spring in your step this season? Here are some ways you can bring life to others as we watch the world bloom around us

• Volunteer in the community. From serving on our disaster response team to helping with clerical work in our offices, we need folks from every background whether you can help an hour or month or 40. 
• Give blood. The American Red Cross provides about 40 percent of the nation’s blood. You can help literally save lives by donating your blood. 
• Be a digital advocate. Help us to support the Red Cross cause using social media. Read and share stories with the thousands of people whose lives have intersected with the Red Cross. 

Thanks to our new site especially for volunteers, Volunteer Connection, finding and managing your volunteer path with the Red Cross is easier than ever. "We believe Volunteer Connection will improve our response to community needs and deliver services of the Red Cross mission by better engaging one of our greatest assets — the talents, time and dedication of our volunteers," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the Red Cross. Check out this video for more:


And perhaps the best part of volunteering for the American Red Cross, is what YOU get out of it. Volunteers that joined us at this time last year had no idea in just a few weeks they would be helping us with the DFW tornado outbreak, and there is no way we could have served the people affected by those storms without their help! 

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to become a Red Cross volunteer, it’s right now. Check out this infographic for more on how you can help and visit redcross.org to begin your story today! 

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