Donations to Red Cross to be matched up to $200k on Giving Day

JACKSON, Tenn. — The American Red Cross — globally known for their work in natural disasters and warzones — is working right here in West Tennessee.

“People assume that if the Red Cross showed up, the bottom dropped out, it’s really gone south. But honestly, on the local end, we are there involved in what some would call minor disasters,” said David Hicks, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Midwest Chapter.

Hicks says they respond to more than 400 disasters a year, most of them fires, on a local level.

“We’re responding to people, on many times, the worst day of their life. So in that moment, we’re just that kind of ‘think tank’ for them. We provide clarity for what their next response needs to be,” Hicks said.

But they need your donations to provide immediate support to people who may have just lost everything.

“It’s so important to know, that money is going into debit cards that are presented to the local impacted families, and they have immediate needs that they can meet,” Hicks said.

It’s easy to donate. All you have to do is go to the Red Cross’s website and click the donate button at the top of the page.

David Hicks, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Midwest Chapter.

But Hicks says if you can’t donate monetarily, they’re always looking for volunteers.

“Go to redcross.org. There will be a dropdown tab that says ‘volunteer.’ You simply go in and begin the process of registration. They’ll also ask you what specific areas of service you would be more inclined to do, and it gives you that opportunity as well,” he said.

There is a donor match for up to $200,000 nationally on Wednesday.