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Red Cross Month Kicks Off to Honor Community Heroes

Join the annual celebration by donating on Red Cross Giving Day (March 27), giving blood, volunteering or taking a lifesaving skills course


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SANTA BARBARA, FEBRUARY 28, 2024 — The American Red Cross of the Pacific Coast is kicking off its annual Red Cross Month celebration on March 1 to honor local community heroes who help ensure their neighbors never face crises alone.

Red Cross Month is a national tradition that began in March 1943 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first Red Cross Month proclamation — and each U.S. president has followed ever since. Throughout March, local leaders will issue proclamations declaring March as Red Cross Month to honor those who power our lifesaving mission – volunteers, blood donors, and financial donors – and help when emergencies strike.