Proclaiming the month of March, 2006 as American Red Cross Month.

WHEREAS, The American Red Cross was founded in, 1881 by Clara Barton, a woman selflessly devoted to the needs of humanity, and chartered in the City of Philadelphia in 1916; and

WHEREAS, Compassion, courage, character, civic duty - are inherent in the Red Cross mission to prevent and relieve human suffering, and the City of Philadelphia shares these grand ideals; and

WHEREAS, The Red Cross, is chartered and authorized by Congress to act in times of need, providing compassionate assistance to people afflicted by personal, local or national disasters; and

WHEREAS, Red Cross volunteers from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter responded to more than 800 disasters last year, providing thousands of residents with food, clothing, shelter and mental health support; and

WHEREAS, People have counted on the Red Cross for the information and skills they need to be safe at home, at work, at school and at play. Last year, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter trained and reached nearly 285,000 people with valuable lifesaving information; and

WHEREAS, The American Red Cross reached more than 40,000 students in the School District of Philadelphia last year with some form of health, safety, leadership, or disaster education training; and

WHEREAS, The American Red Cross, through its Penn-Jersey Blood Region, provides lifesaving blood and blood products whenever and wherever needed. The safety of the blood supply is its number one priority; and

WHEREAS, In 1943, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called upon the American people with this request: “…that during this month our people rededicate themselves to the splendid aims and activities of the Red Cross”; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby proclaim the month of March, 2006 as American Red Cross Month in the City of Philadelphia.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the American Red Cross as evidence of the respect and admiration of this legislative body for the important work they do in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley.

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