Organization Guide: American Red Cross

Be Prepared. Save Lives. Serve Your Community.

The American Red Cross helps people prepare for emergencies, respond to disasters, and support communities in times of need. Through the power of volunteers, the Red Cross provides lifesaving services.

Students can play an important role in strengthening their communities by supporting Red Cross initiatives. Whether helping prepare families for disasters, supporting blood drives, or assisting with safety campaigns, your club can make a meaningful impact.

Host a Blood Drive

• Purpose: Help hospitals have the blood they need to save lives.
• What You’ll Do: Students can help organize a blood drive at their school by promoting the event, recruiting donors, and assisting with event setup. Consider inviting other school clubs to be involved.
• Impact: A single blood donation can help save up to three lives, providing critical support for surgeries, accident victims, and medical treatments.

Disaster Preparedness

• Purpose: Help individuals and families prepare for emergencies before they happen.
• What You’ll Do: Students can help organize preparedness workshops or share safety information about emergency kits, evacuation plans, and disaster readiness. Ideas • Create emergency preparedness kits • Share safety tips at school events • Host a preparedness awareness day
• Impact: Prepared communities are safer and recover more quickly when disasters occur.

Sound the Alarm

• Purpose: Help families stay safe by installing smoke alarms and sharing fire safety information.
• What You’ll Do: Volunteer groups work with Red Cross teams to install free smoke alarms in homes and teach families how to create fire escape plans.
• Impact: Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death from home fires in half and help protect families during emergencies.

Water Safety Education

• Purpose: Help children learn lifesaving water safety skills and build confidence around water.
• What You’ll Do: Support or participate in water safety education programs that teach children how to stay safe around pools, lakes, rivers, and other water environments. JustServe Opportunity Link.
• Impact: Helps prevent water-related injuries and empowers children with knowledge that can save lives.

Map Disaster Response

• Purpose: Help humanitarian organizations prepare for disasters and improve emergency response efforts.
• What You’ll Do: Use the MapSwipe app to review satellite imagery and identify roads, buildings, and communities that may need assistance during emergencies. JustServe Opportunity Link.
• Impact: Your efforts help relief organizations create better maps, making it easier to deliver aid when disasters strike.

Prepare & Share Kits

• Purpose: Help individuals and families be better prepared for emergencies and disasters.
• What You’ll Do: Collect essential preparedness supplies, assemble emergency kits, and distribute them to community members who may need assistance during an emergency. Link to Kit ideas.
• Impact: Provides practical resources that help families stay safe and prepared when disasters occur.

Blood Donor Ambassador

• Purpose: Create a welcoming and positive experience for blood donors.
• What You’ll Do: Greet donors, assist with check-in, answer basic questions, and help support blood drive operations. JustServe Opportunity Link
• Impact: Encourages life-saving blood donations and helps ensure patients have access to the blood products they need.

Club Challenge

• Partner with a local Red Cross Club or school club to help plan, promote, or support a blood donation drive at your school.
• Hold a friendly competition to see which club member can complete the most MapSwipe contributions during a week or month of service.
• Invite your school's swim team to help teach the Red Cross water safety skills to younger children in your community.
• Challenge students to help 25 families create an emergency plan or emergency preparedness kit.

Getting Started

• Explore Red Cross projects on JustServe.org.
• Connect with your local Red Cross chapter to learn about their needs.
• Learn more about Red Cross activities.
• Invite others to serve alongside you.
• If your school has a Red Cross club, reach out on how you can work together.