red cross employee looking through window

Prepared for a new response

The familiar emblem of the Red Cross, a red plus sign floating in white, has long been synonymous with giving aid to those in need. From famine to war to floods, the international organization mobilizes thousands of staff—and a global volunteer army numbering in the hundreds of thousands—to rapidly provide help in disaster zones.

Today, the organization is tasked to mobilize locally in a new way. “Coronavirus has influenced every element of our mission,” notes American Red Cross CEO Gail McGovern.

In the video above, McGovern explains how the organization is adapting to meet basic community needs—from physically distant blood drives, to online first-aid classes and mental health support—while continuing to provide aid to areas hit by disasters, such as tornadoes in Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia. To aid its mission domestically and globally, Bank of America provided a $1.25 million grant to the Red Cross as part of a $100 million commitment to help communities affected by the coronavirus.

The American Red Cross name and logo [and copyrighted materials] are used with its permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, express or implied, of any product, service, company, opinion or political position. The American Red Cross name and logo are registered trademarks owned by the American National Red Cross. For more information about the American Red Cross, please visit redcross.org.

Originally published 5/08/20