FedEx Supports Red Cross
FedEx Corp., an active participant in disaster relief, recovery and preparedness initiatives, is engaging FedEx team members in major cities throughout the country in disaster preparedness planning through the American Red Cross corporate volunteer involvement program Ready When the Time Comes.
Memphis, home of the company s worldwide headquarters, will officially launch its program Feb. 27 with FedEx serving as the local lead sponsor. Through the Ready When the Time Comes program, volunteers receive specialized training in crucial disaster response functions, such as shelter operations, large-scale feeding efforts, and damage assessment.
The Red Cross trains employees from participating corporations and mobilizes them for large-scale local disasters. FedEx team members currently work closely with local chapters in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and now Memphis. At FedEx we understand how vital preparation is to the success of the business, whether the mission is to ensure a critical overnight delivery or to aid charitable organizations in their response to a large-scale disaster, said Rose Flenorl, manager of Social Responsibility at FedEx. Each day we deliver services and solutions all over the world, but the key to any successful operation is preparation, and that begins at home, in our local communities.
FedEx work with the Red Cross also includes disaster preparedness efforts such as small business preparedness outreach and emergency preparedness training for school-aged children. As part of its longstanding commitment to the Red Cross mission, FedEx is a founding member of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program and contributes more than $1 million in cash and in-kind services to the Red Cross every year.
During the recent Haiti relief efforts, FedEx transported more than 150,000 pounds of American Red Cross family care kits and gave a cash grant in support of their International Relief Fund, which provides lifesaving supplies and relief materials. FedEx previously received the prestigious Circle of Humanitarians Award and the Henry Dunant International Partnership Excellence Award in gratitude for its generous contributions and longstanding commitment to the humanitarian mission of the organization.
It’s always great to see how different organizations can come together and address common needs and problems. Disters large and small occur daily. As a volunteer for the American Red Cross I can tell you that we rely on the network of businesses and corporations to help us fulfill our mission in times of disaster. It is however, far more important to build these relationship and leverage capabilties that will benefit everyone long before disaster strikes. The “average person” is NOT prepared. Some how, some where along the way we have come to believe that someone will be there for us and we no longer have indiviudal responsiblities to prepare.
So while I applaude all the efforts we undertake at the American Red Cross to identify and work with partners from every industry, I hope the message continues to resinate that in fact, YOU are your first responder. In times of disaster assistance can be delayed and if you have not undertaken efforts to prepare yourself, your family and your local community then you will only add to the statistics of beig a victim. If on the other hand you undertake preparedness activities, you can quickly move from “victim” to recovery because you will have what you need, when you need it most. The Red Cross and all our partners will be there when you need us, but sometimes we cannot be there as quickly as you may like. So, if I can borrow from a popular movie line, “Help Us…..Help You” Support your local Red Cross and other disater agencies. Take some classes like First Aid, CPR and have Disaster Kits, food, water and supplies. Enroll the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program offered through local communities via DHS grants and be prepared to take care of you, your family and your community! Layering and leveraging these capabilities and resources is the one way in which WE can all be “Ready when the time comes”.