American Red Cross of Greater Idaho

Blood Services:

There is no artificial substance or supply for human blood or blood components. Every donation made has the ability to save up to three lives. As the nation’s largest supplier of blood, support of this program ensures a continued supply and safety net of providing this life saving substance. The Red Cross is the leader in creating tests to verify the safety of the blood supply and came up with the first tests for HIV and hepatitis. Here in Idaho we safely collect, test, and distribute over 63,000 units of life saving to 48 hospitals a year.

Disaster Services:

Prepare

The Red Cross helps people prepare for disasters before they happen. Weather installing smoke alarms in homes that need them, creating evacuation plans to get out safely, or teaching children about fire safety and preparedness, the Red Cross is committed to helping make a safer Idaho.

Respond

Red Cross responds to more than 300 disaster situations annually here in Idaho, helping 600+ families begin the long road to recovery after a traumatic loss. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross is there to provide shelter, food, clothing, and health and mental health services to address basic human needs.

These Red Cross services are of critical importance for low to moderate-income families and individuals as they typically have few, if any, resources and frequently are without any kind of insurance coverage. All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by the generosity of the American people. Repayment for disaster assistance is neither expected nor accepted.

Each low income family or individual is given a Client Assistance Card, which is a pre-loaded debit card. The Case Manager, who is on site of the disaster, determines the amount of money put on the Card. This amount ranges depending on the number of family members, the condition of their belongings, additional family support, whether they have clothes on their backs or shoes on their feet.

Recover

After disaster victims receive services and money to help in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, they are re-contacted by Red Cross caseworkers to inquire as to how their recovery is progressing and if additional needs exist. If other verifiable needs do exist, the Red Cross caseworker may load additional money on the victim’s CAC to cover such items as bedding, storage containers, portable cribs and baby supplies; and/or can issue funds to companies to pay for items like utility deposits, rent (one month), minor building repairs, or security deposits. The amount of this additional assistance varies due to the specific ongoing needs of each victim.

Services to Armed Forces:

Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year the American Red Cross is there for military members and their families, delivering emergency messages. The Greater Idaho Chapter annually helps nearly 700 area families keep in touch and provides timely, accurate and verified information following the death or serious illness of a family member, the birth of a child, or other critical family matters. Donations that support our Services to Armed Forces allow the Red Cross to provide this service to the men and women who serve our country, free of any financial burden.

Health & Safety Training:

For nearly a century, the American Red Cross has prepared people to save lives through health and safety education and training. In Idaho the Red Cross offers health education and training courses such as CPR, first aid, and automated external defibrillator (AED) use. We teach an average of 700 people a week how to save lives through these Red Cross courses.

International Services:

“I am alive.” These three short words may be all that is needed to ease the minds of distraught loved ones half a world away. The Red Cross’ international tracing programs helps Idaho families find relatives with whom they have lost contact because of a natural disaster, war or internal conflict. Idaho is home to over 10,000 refugees, who have settled here from such diverse places as Bhutan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Congo, Somalia and Sudan. Last year, the Chapter helped reunite 17 families with lost loved ones.