The American Red Cross is historically well known for its support of those in need who are victims of disasters and of course their blood donation services.
Clarksville-Montgomery County is served by the Tennessee River Chapter of the Red Cross located at 1760 Madison Street. The chapter also supports the counties of Dickson, Stewart, Houston, Humphreys, Hickman, Perry, Giles, Wayne, Lawrence, Lewis, Maury, as well as Fort Campbell.
Statistics from July 1 through November 30, 2017 show that 80 households were assisted through Disaster Services, 1,645 people were reached through Preparedness, Health, and Safety Services, and there were 436 Service to the Armed Forces cases.
In addition, through the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, 150 smoke alarms were installed in the Clarksville area. It’s important to note that there are 362 volunteers in the Tennessee River Chapter which serves an estimated population of 493,189.
When it comes to help with disasters, Phillip Barletto, Red Cross Disaster Program Manager, says the Red Cross responds to a wide variety of unforeseen incidents.
“They can be anything from a large event such as a natural disaster, or even smaller events such as house fires,” Barletto said.
Katy Hagstrom, Executive Director for the Tennessee River Chapter of the Red Cross said, “As we have seen over the past couple of months, the cold weather has had a significant impact on the number of home fires in our community. It is the goal of the Red Cross to decrease the number of fire related deaths by 25 percent over five years by continuing to install smoke alarms through our Home Fire Campaign.
It is because of the time and effort of our dedicated volunteer base that we are able to continue these efforts throughout the Clarksville-Montgomery County area. We encourage everyone to practice fire safety.”
The bitterly cold weather has also had a tremendous impact on blood drives in Middle Tennessee with many forced to cancel affecting blood collections. January is National Blood Donor Month and the Red Cross has announced an urgent need for blood and platelet donations. To find out more about donating blood call 1-800-733-2767 or go to redcross.org.
To learn more about the many services and programs offered by the American Red Cross, to make a donation, or to become a volunteer, contact the Tennessee River Chapter of the Red Cross at redcross.org/volunteer, call 931-645-6401, or stop by the Red Cross office at 1760 Madison Street.
Giving Grace is a series focusing on local non-profit groups working to make a difference in the Clarksville community, sponsored by Grace Dental.
**SPONSORED CONTENT BY GRACE DENTAL**
Courtesy: American Red Cross