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American Red Cross Commemorates MLK with a National Day of Service

On January 16, the American Red Cross celebrated Martin Luther King Day with a National Day of Service, calling on citizens everywhere to volunteer their time to the ARC's many initiatives.


Every year, the ARC helps tens of thousands of people cope with the aftermath of disaster and prepare for future emergencies. Local Disaster Action Teams are often first responders to natural and man-made disasters, such as the recent plane crash in the Hudson river.


In 2007, I was certified as a disaster action team member in the Washington DC metro area and can personally certify that the American Red Cross is one of the most effective and efficient humanitarian organizations in the country. Volunteers are on-call to respond to emergencies where they provide services such as sheltering, grief counseling, tracing services, and first aid. They have chapters in every state and almost every city, which you can easily find through their website.


If you are looking for an established organization to volunteer your time with you should look into taking their free training classes and becoming a Disaster Action Team member in your area.


Written by Leah Bush, a freelance writer and aspiring Guru whose past involvement includes the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Recovery Project and volunteerism in Honduras and the Dominican Republic. She is currently a volunteer blogger for the Literacy ‘n’ Poverty Project. Questions regarding this post may be forwarded to ultraEchelon@gmail.com.

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