National Volunteer Week is April 7 to 13, and the American Red Cross Eastern Pennsylvania Region is honoring its volunteers who help people in need through its lifesaving mission. The Red Cross is also looking for community groups and individuals to volunteer for its upcoming Sound the Alarm home fire safety blitz happening at the end of the month.

Here in Eastern PA more than 3,000 people volunteer with the Red Cross to help people by helping staff blood drives, volunteering at veterans’ hospitals, teaching people lifesaving skills such as first aid and CPR, responding to home fires in the middle of the night and so much more. These individuals are also among the more than 372,000 volunteers who comprise more than 90 percent of the national American Red Cross workforce.

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Last year, local Red Cross volunteers provided food, shelter, comfort and hope to more than 5,000 people affected by home fires and other disasters in Eastern PA. They also helped train nearly 94,000 people in lifesaving skills like first aid and CPR, and provided more than 4,000 services to military members, veterans and their families. Red Cross volunteers and community partners installed more than 8,800 free smoke alarms in 2018.

HELP SOUND THE ALARM TO #ENDHOMEFIRES Visit SoundTheAlarm.org/EasternPA to join a special volunteer opportunity to help install free smoke alarms and raise lifesaving funds, as part of a national push of Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation events.

During Sound the Alarm events, volunteers will team with local fire departments and other community partners to canvass neighborhoods, install free smoke alarms, replace alarm batteries and help families create home fire escape plans. Services are free and available for all people in need. Philadelphia area events are as follows, with details and registration now open at SoundTheAlarm.org/EasternPA:
• April 27, Swedesburg, Montgomery County
• May 3, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County
• May 11, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County
• May 11, Phoenixville, Chester County

Learn more about volunteer opportunities by visiting redcross.org. To donate blood or platelets, eligible individuals can make an appointment by using the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS

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