Around the world, around the nation, around the corner - there is a place where people help others in need.

• When people will give whatever they can to feed and clothe victims of an unimaginable disaster a world away, or state away, or right here in the Mid-South
  
  
• Where business owners and community organizations raise funds to help provide food and shelter for thousands of people who have lost their homes and livelihoods whether they be in Southeast Asia, Louisiana or down the street
  
  
• Where a person will choose to leave the comfort of their own bed on a cold night to bring warmth and comfort and hope to a neighbor they may not know or ever see again

That place is our home and those kind people are the generous residents and the trained and compassionate volunteers of the Mid-South Chapter of the American Red Cross.  The Red Cross is ready to respond to the emergency of each and every community we serve, no matter how large or small the disaster.

You Helped Before.  Will You Help Again?
While attention has been drawn this year to the high-profile tragedies ensuing nationally and abroad, amazing achievements were also taking place in our own backyard.  More than 3,900 victims of local disasters, such as house fires, floods and storms were given shelter, food, comfort, care and mental health counseling.

For more than 125 years local Red Cross chapters have provided communities with heroes; volunteers who save lives and help countless families survive and recover from disasters.  Now we are asking you to be a HERO for the American Red Cross by participating in our chapter's 2008 HEROES campaign.

You have demonstrated your generosity and willingness to help your neighbors in the past.  Now, we ask you to demonstrate your leadership again to guarantee that we can take care of disaster victims here in Memphis and the surrounding communities.

To become a HERO for the American Red Cross, you or your organization agrees to raise a minimum of $1,000 through any legal means you choose.  You or a representative of your organization will be recognized at our First Annual Heroes for the Red Cross Recognition Breakfast.

Heroes for the American Red Cross Campaign

Corporate Partnership Opportunities

 

Safer Communities, Everyday –

 

• The Mid-South Chapter serves more than 1.2 million people – preparing and responding to emergencies, ensuring a safe blood supply, and providing life saving training.
• Responds to over 1,400 emergencies throughout seven counties: Shelby, Fayette, Tipton and Lauderdale in TN; DeSoto and Tunica in MS; Crittenden in AR.
• Trains more than 13,900 people in lifesaving skills each year each year, on average, through courses such as Disaster Education, First Aid, Community Disaster Training, CPR, AED, HIV/AIDS, and other lifesaving courses.
• Maintains a force of nearly 200 trained American Red Cross volunteers – all ready to respond to emergencies large and small.
• Connects more than 1,400 emergency messages between members of the military and their families.
• Raises much needed funds to support local services in our community through the “Heroes for the American Red Cross Campaign”.

Benefits to Red Cross Partners Include:

• Positive association with America's favorite charity-- such association with the American Red Cross, which serves your customers and people your customers care about, enhances your organization's image.
• Shared marketing objectives (family, integrity and results) help you reach your target audiences.
• Credibility to your customers through the delivery of Red Cross information.
• Reinforcement of integrity.
• Positive reinforcement of the organization's values to your employees.
• Visibility associated with the campaign, in campaign materials and web site, as a partner of the local Red Cross chapter.

Partnership Opportunities

• Give your customers and employees the opportunity to support Red Cross, and be recognized as a community “Hero”.
  • Allow customers to “add on” a donation to their total bill. 
  • Sell Red Cross donation squares for $1 each. 
  • Collect Red Cross donations from your employees and customers at each company location.
  • Ask employees to become Heroes for the Red Cross. Include information in your company newsletters.
  • Match a percentage of employee or customer donations to the local Red Cross chapter.
• Ask your vendors to support the Red Cross – introduce local Red Cross representatives to your vendors.  Encourage them to participate in the Heroes Campaign in their local community.
• Percentage of Sales – Donate a percentage of sales during the month of your choice to the local Red Cross chapter.

Heroes Success Stories

 

• A retired farmer sat in his local gas station and convenience store for three days asking customers to give to the American Red Cross.  He raised $2,900
• Two post office clerks asked customers they knew to donate change, raising $1,800
• Firemen held a boot drive for one day at a local Wal-Mart and raised $3,900.  Wal-Mart matched their drive with a $1,000 donation
• A restaurant asked customers to donate change after paying their tab and raised $1,600
• A pizza restaurant sold “Red Cross Squares” to customers raising $1,200
• The employee council of a manufacturer cooked and sold hot dogs and hamburgers one day a week for three weeks and raised $1,100
• A physician in a large medical practice asked the other doctors for at least $100 and raised $2,600
• A popular radio disc jockey asked listeners to make him a hero and raised $3,300
• A grocery store raffled off a $250 gift certificate raising $1,120
• A running club conducted a small run for the American Red Cross and raised $1,600
• A parking meter monitor in a small town asked folks she saw on her day-to-day rounds and raised $2,100
• A county sheriff’s department held a traffic stop for four hours on a Sunday afternoon and raised $3,500
• A high school service club held a car wash-a-thon and raised $1,150
• A hospital cafeteria worker asked employees and visitors to donate change at the end of the line and raised $1,587
• Four branches of a bank sold “Red Cross Squares” to customers and raised $2,400
• An administrator of a technical school asked employees and students to contribute and raised $1,089
• A member of a civic club asked the club and its members for support and raised $1,150.  The club donated $500 and the members contributed $650

To find out how you or your company/organization can be a Red Cross Hero, contact Kim Motschman at 901-672-6353 or via email at motschmank@midsouthredcross.org. 

Will your story be featured here next year? 
We hope so!!!