Why Giving Tuesday is critical to the Red Cross amid record-setting disasters

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The number of billion-dollar weather disasters is climbing every year, leaving the Red Cross with a lot of work to do. They say Giving Tuesday is a perfect time for you to provide any amount of help.

Transcript

00:00 is giving Tuesday. Every day people in your community and around the world face

00:04 emergencies big and small from survivors of more frequent and intense natural

00:09 disasters to patients in need of life-saving blood to military families

00:14 in crisis the Red Cross is always there. They really are. By making a gift to the

00:19 Red Cross on this Giving Tuesday you are fueling our vital mission of alleviating

00:25 human suffering when help just can't wait. Joining us now is Callie Edwards

00:29 national spokesperson for the American Red Cross. What a joy to have you here

00:34 this morning. Thank you for being here and for all that the Red Cross does.

00:38 Thank you for having us. I know it's a little cold outside but Giving Tuesday is

00:43 a great way to warm your hearts and jumpstart the holiday giving season so

00:48 we're excited to meet you. That's right a line I think you would be saying. I love

00:51 I really like that's like right up my alley it's a way to warm your hearts.

00:55 Okay let's dig into this ready for the Red Cross what makes Giving Tuesday so

00:59 special I'm sure there's a lot that goes into it. So what's great about it is it's

01:05 really a global movement to do something positive in your communities whether

01:09 it's making a financial donation with the American Red Cross or whether it's

01:14 rolling up your sleeve to donate blood or taking time to volunteer with an

01:19 organization as well. There is something for everyone. No gift is too small to

01:24 help many of the services that you mentioned about responding to disasters

01:29 helping our military families and so much more. Now every year seems to bring

01:35 more billion-dollar disasters across the country. Is the Red Cross finding the

01:39 need greater for shelter and essentials after a weather emergency? Absolutely

01:46 you know this year was an all-time high of 25 billion dollar disasters that

01:52 ravaged communities across the country. This growing frequency intensity of

01:57 disasters that are driven by the climate crisis is really making the Red Cross

02:02 race to adaptive services and grow our disaster response capacity across the

02:08 country. As part of our work this year the Red Cross distributed over a hundred

02:15 and eight million dollars in financial assistance directly to those that were

02:20 feeling the impacts of these disasters of all sizes. This year it's going to

02:25 continue. We know that these extreme weather events are causing more and more

02:29 disasters. People's help and support for our mission couldn't come at a

02:35 greater time. Well on that note another focus for the Red Cross on this Giving

02:39 Tuesday is the need to give blood. That is so important. I know it's a priority

02:43 for the American Cross. Is that I mean I imagine today and every day right? Yes

02:48 absolutely. You know we are the nation's largest blood supplier and we are

02:53 grateful for the millions of donors that continue to roll up their sleeve and

02:57 donate blood. That life-saving blood that can only come from another human being.

03:03 We know that one in seven hospital patients need a life-saving transfusion

03:08 and so our blood donors are really important to our mission. I know last

03:13 week I just rolled up my sleeve and gave you my holiday donation. I'm

03:17 encouraging others to do the same whether you're an experienced blood

03:21 donor or he might be a first-time blood donor. Right now is a great time to make

03:26 that appointment at redcrossblood.org and find an appointment near you. It's a

03:31 gift that can truly give the gift of life. And really quickly here how can

03:36 people help with Giving Tuesday and every day? Absolutely so for today and

03:43 every day folks can visit us at redcross.org. You can make a financial

03:48 donation, a tax-deductible donation, you can sign up to make an appointment to

03:53 give blood or you can learn about volunteer opportunities that are happening

03:57 in your community and continue to serve at the Red Cross. Fantastic. Callie Edwards

04:02 with the American Red Cross. Thank you so much for being here on such a busy day

04:05 but such a wonderful day on this Giving Tuesday. Thank you for having us. Happy

04:11 Giving Tuesday. And stay warm if you can.

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