Nassau County is home to people of all walks of life who make a difference each day with the help of the American Red Cross. Since 1881, the Red Cross has built a legacy as the premier, volunteer-led, humanitarian organization in this country helping ordinary men and women of all ages make an extraordinary impact on individuals and families in their own communities and around the world.

Red Cross Month in March is a time for the people of the American Red Cross, including those at the American Red Cross in Nassau County, to recognize the many individuals and institutions who have joined us this year in helping people prevent, prepare for and cope with emergencies large and small. It is through the efforts of more than a million volunteers nationwide and thousands who made financial contributions that the American Red Cross was again able to achieve this goal.

Some 53,000 people locally this year gained the skills they need to save a life-including their own. The Nassau County chapter trained them to help others in the event of a heart attack, drowning, or other emergency by teaching them critical skills such as first aid, CPR training using automated external defibrillators, lifeguarding and swimming. In our community last year, we responded to 142 local disasters, such as a deadly apartment building fire in December at 100 Terrace Avenue in Hempstead.

American Red Cross employees and volunteers also work to keep families together and responded to the needs of military families who turned to us for help with emergency communications. Additional families came to us for assistance in tracing loved ones overseas with whom they have lost contact because of disaster, conflict or civil unrest.

It is the gifts of time and money from people right here in their community that make these services possible this year as we again celebrate Red Cross Month. Join us! To learn more about the American Red Cross in Nassau County or how you can make a financial contribution that will help to save lives, call 516-747-3500. You can also make a secure online credit card donation at www.redcross.org.