Every eight minutes, the American Red Cross brings help and hope to people in need. Whether we donate funds, donate blood or volunteer; The Red Cross depends on our support to make a difference in communities across the country.

March is Red Cross Month, and to help bring awareness, here are some facts from RedCross.org.

• March was first proclaimed as Red Cross Month in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a way to raise awareness of the organization and its humanitarian mission in the midst of war. Since then, every president, including President Obama, has designated March as Red Cross Month. The American Red Cross is synonymous with helping people, and has been doing so for more than 130 years.
• The Red Cross is not a government agency and relies on donations of time and money to carry out its vital work. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the American Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs.
• Clara Barton and a circle of her acquaintances founded the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 1881. Barton first heard of the Swiss-inspired global Red Cross network while visiting Europe following the Civil War. Returning home, she campaigned for an American Red Cross and for ratification of the Geneva Convention protecting the war-injured, which the United States ratified in 1882.
• Donations power the Red Cross response to nearly 70,000 disasters a year nationwide, providing shelter, food, emotional support and other necessities to those affected.
• In 2015, the American Red Cross responded to 176 large disasters in the U.S.

To donate to the Red Cross, visit redcross.org/donate.