2009

Report to the Community

Kern Red Cross

In Our Community

Mission Statement

   The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers, guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

Disaster Relief and Community Disaster Education

   When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross is there. This year we responded to 84 local disasters, including residential fires. We helped 383 affected individuals and families with emergency food, shelter and supplies.

   Being prepared can make your family and community safer and sometimes minimize injury and destruction. In 2009 we reached over 3,450 youth and adults in our community with disaster education and preparedness training.

Health and Safety Services

   From first aid, CPR and AED training to swimming and lifeguarding, American Red Cross programs help people lead safer and healthier lives. This year, 9,703 individuals learned lifesaving skills through classes offered by the chapter.

International Services

   The international tracing program helps local families find relatives with whom they have lost contact because of a natural disaster, war or internal conflict. We helped reconnect a number of families with loved ones in foreign lands.

Armed Forces Emergency Services

   The American Red Cross provides communication between those in the Armed Forces and their families. We have a worldwide network that reaches service members wherever they are to communicate a birth, death or illness. This year we provided emergency connections for 630 military families.

Blood Services

   Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. Thanks to generous blood donors, the Red Cross collects and distributes nearly half the nation’s blood supply.

A Note about Volunteers

   We depend on volunteers of all ages and backgrounds to carry on our work. Volunteers constitute 97 percent of our total workforce, serving as members of the board, instructors teaching lifesaving skills, disaster action team members, office administrators, event organizers and more.

   This year, 213 volunteers made the work of the chapter possible, contributing hundreds of hours, for an invaluable contribution toward helping the Kern Chapter provide emergency services to our community.