The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization led by volunteers, guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, to provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.
Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting the emergency disaster-caused needs of individuals and families. When a disaster threatens or strikes, we provide shelter, food, and health and mental health services, which address basic human needs. In addition, we help individuals and families to resume their normal daily activities independently.
The Pacific Northwest Region began collecting blood for its community in 1949 and is now the sole provider of blood and blood products to more than 80 local hospitals in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. To meet patient needs, the region strives to collect nearly 5,000 whole blood donations and more than 500 platelet products each week. The headquarters in Portland, Oregon, houses laboratories, administration offices and a blood donor center. Nine other locations across Oregon and Washington provide convenient blood donation centers, in addition to mobile blood drives at schools, businesses, churches, civic organizations, and communities throughout the region. The region employs about 700 people and is supported by nearly 10,000 volunteers, including a volunteer board of directors. The region’s management team includes, among others, the CEO, chief medical officer, director of donor services, and director of hospital services. The Pacific Northwest Region and the Lewis and Clark Region (based in Salt Lake City UT) make up the Western Frontier Division. This division is the largest geographic division in the American Red Cross.
In addition to responding to more than 70,000 man-made or natural disasters each year, the national American Red Cross provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply and has strong programs in the basic sciences related to biomedical science and transfusion medicine, including testing, blood safety and efficacy, molecular biology of blood, and the immune response
system.
The organization works to develop new biomedical products and technologies that will address the health needs of patients worldwide. The Red Cross undertakes collaborative efforts with biotechnology companies, research and teaching hospitals, and universities around the country to further this lifesaving research.
Our Mission
The American Red Cross Biomedical Services will fulfill the needs of the American people for the safest, most reliable and most cost-effective blood services through voluntary donations.
Blood Donors
Blood donors are everyday people with a desire to give back to their communities. They are high school students, business executives and everyone in between—people with a generous spirit, whose gift means life to patients in need.
Whether at a blood drive in a community or at a donation center in the city, every one of our donors plays an integral role in the delivery of modern healthcare. Many diseases, surgeries and conditions require blood transfusions in order for treatments to be successful and recovery to be possible.
American Red Cross Chapter Services
The American Red Cross consists of two divisions—blood services and chapter services. The chapter services division of the Red Cross provides the following services:*
- Emergency social services
- Emergency food pantry
- Armed Forces emergency services
- International tracing services
- Health and safety classes
- HIV/AIDS education
- Youth safety training
- Office of volunteers
And many more.
Red Cross Chapters are located in communities, big and small, across America.
Click here to find the Red Cross chapter near you. 
* All services are not available at all locations. |
