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 organiza...
A blog published by the (now dissolved) Literacy 'n' Poverty Project