Hi, my name is the Douglas County Chapter of Red Cross Community Services.

The Red Cross falls under United Way’s focus area of Creating a Healthier Community. An area that provides “access to quality healthcare, supports persons with chronic illnesses and disaster preparedness training.”

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization led by volunteers that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. Since 1916, the Douglas County Chapter is a local arm of this worldwide organization meeting the emergency health needs in the communities of Lawrence, Eudora, Baldwin City and Lecompton. The main areas of service include: pandemic flu, home fires, winter safety, flooding safety, tornadoes/severe weather and their pledge to being prepared (response training classes).

The local Red Cross utilizes the assistance of over 100 volunteers from donating blood to sending messages to members of the military.

Among the services, disaster relief is a major part of the Red Cross’ efforts. When house fires, floods, violent storms, hazardous spills and explosions, or transportation accidents occur, the Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross is ready to respond immediately. Our staff and volunteers are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days per week to respond when disaster strikes. Additionally, the American Red Cross provides an exclusive worldwide communications and support network that serves as a lifeline between military service members and their families. For the American soldier and his or her family, the Red Cross is the connection to home, relaying urgent information — a family crisis, a death in the family, a family emergency, or a joyous birth. Last year local volunteers helped over 70 families and veterans through communications, emergency assistance and the preparation of documents and evidence.

Emergency disaster assistance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The local office is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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Red Cross employees Ellen Quillen, left, disaster action team captain, and Matt May, disaster committee chairman, hope their newly purchased van will help them get supplies to the Lawrence community faster in a disaster. They are pictured Tuesday at the Red Cross offices, 2518 Ridge Court.

Learn more at http://douglascountyks.redcross.org.