American Red Cross of Illinois

American Red Cross of Illinois The American Red Cross of Illinois serves over 12.4 million people in 88 counties across Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri through a network of five chapters.

🎉 Happy Blood Collectors Week! 🎉Behind every lifesaving blood donation is a dedicated Red Cross blood collector who make...
09/07/2026

🎉 Happy Blood Collectors Week! 🎉

Behind every lifesaving blood donation is a dedicated Red Cross blood collector who makes it possible.

This week, we’re celebrating the incredible team members whose skill, compassion and commitment help create a welcoming experience for blood donors while ensuring lifesaving blood is available for patients when they need it most.

From greeting donors with a smile to carefully collecting each donation, their work touches countless lives and is an essential part of the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross.

To all our amazing blood collectors -- thank you for the care you give, the difference you make and the lives you help save every single day. We are so grateful for you!

Want to celebrate them in a meaningful way? Roll up a sleeve and help continue the lifesaving work they make possible. Schedule a blood donation appointment today at RedCrossBlood.org.

Volunteer of the Week: Pete FeyerherdSince joining the Red Cross in 2022, Pete Feyerherd has worn just about every hat y...
09/07/2026

Volunteer of the Week: Pete Feyerherd

Since joining the Red Cross in 2022, Pete Feyerherd has worn just about every hat you can imagine.

From driving Emergency Response Vehicles and Mobile Response Vehicles to supporting logistics, mass care, disaster assessment and recovery, Pete has stepped up in countless ways — including deploying to support communities impacted by disasters.

Today, Pete is spending much of his time as a Blood Donor Ambassador, helping make sure donors feel welcomed, supported and appreciated when they arrive to give the gift of life.

Whether he’s responding to a disaster or greeting a donor at a blood drive, Pete brings the same commitment to service to every role he takes on.

Thank you, Pete, for all the ways you show up for our community! ❤️ Interested in making a difference like Pete? Visit redcross.org/volunteer to learn more.

A HUGE thank you to Jack Lewis Jewelers and everyone who joined us this week to officially unveil the featured pieces fo...
09/06/2026

A HUGE thank you to Jack Lewis Jewelers and everyone who joined us this week to officially unveil the featured pieces for the Annual Evening of Stars jewelry auction!

We're excited to come together on Wednesday, Sept. 9 for the 31st annual event that helps support the mission of the Red Cross, including its disaster relief efforts, local safety programs, collection of lifesaving blood and more!

For more information, visit RedCross.org/EveningofStars

🩸 Sickle Cell Awareness Month is an opportunity to better understand a disease that impacts millions of people and the i...
09/05/2026

🩸 Sickle Cell Awareness Month is an opportunity to better understand a disease that impacts millions of people and the importance of blood donors for those living with it.

For years, Halema Townsend kept her sickle cell diagnosis a secret.

“I didn’t want people to judge me. I didn’t want my potential to be limited because of my diagnosis.”

That changed as she met others who openly shared their experiences. After a hospitalization caused her to miss an entire semester of high school, Halema was inspired to pursue public health, psychology and social work, and ultimately become an advocate for others living with sickle cell.

“I’m Halema before I’m anything. I’m a person first.”

Her advocacy is deeply personal. Her 80-year-old father also lives with sickle cell and credits regular blood transfusions with helping him live a long life.

For people living with sickle cell, blood transfusions can be critical, making blood donors especially important.

“Even if sickle cell doesn’t affect someone in your family, I guarantee it affects someone in your circle.”

This Sickle Cell Awareness Month, learn more and consider giving blood. Your donation could help someone living with sickle cell: https://rdcrss.org/3p7idMr

When a fire recently forced Dawn and David from their Westmont apartment, they suddenly found themselves facing the unce...
09/04/2026

When a fire recently forced Dawn and David from their Westmont apartment, they suddenly found themselves facing the uncertainty of losing the place they called home.

Then they met Red Cross volunteers.

From the moment they arrived at a Red Cross shelter, Dawn and David said they were overwhelmed by the compassion and care shown by the volunteers who welcomed them.

“The people, the place, caring from the heart,” Dawn shared of the Red Cross volunteers. “Their whole heart is in it. I can’t explain it. They’re angels.”

For two days, Red Cross volunteers gave Dawn and David more than a safe place to stay—they helped them feel supported and begin to find their footing again.

“Everyone made us feel like family, and we felt safe,” they shared. Even their 9-year-old dog, Charlie, was welcomed with open arms. Red Crossers quickly found him food and, according to Dawn, treated him “like the king of the castle.”

Volunteers also helped connect the couple with recovery resources, which ultimately led them to a new apartment. Today, Dawn and David are settling into their new home and say they are “forever grateful” for the Red Cross volunteers who were there when they needed someone most.

Their story is also a reminder that emergencies can happen without warning. During National Preparedness Month this September, take a few simple steps to help ensure you and the people you love are ready. Make a plan, know where you would go if you had to leave your home quickly and talk with your family about what you would do in an emergency.

Learn how you can prepare for emergencies: https://rdcrss.org/4hZPbge

Join our team: RedCross.org/Volunteer

This week, we were incredibly honored to welcome Cliff Holtz, President and CEO of the American Red Cross, to the Illino...
09/04/2026

This week, we were incredibly honored to welcome Cliff Holtz, President and CEO of the American Red Cross, to the Illinois Region!

Cliff’s visit brought together the heart of our mission: our volunteers, staff, friends and supporters of the Red Cross who give their time, talents and resources to help ensure the Red Cross is there when people need us most.

Throughout his time with us, Cliff shared inspiring words about the power of our mission, the extraordinary impact of our people and the future we are building together. His message was a meaningful reminder that whether we are responding to a family after a home fire, providing lifesaving blood, supporting members of the military and their families, or helping communities prepare for emergencies, every act of service and generosity matters.

We are deeply grateful to Cliff for spending time with our Illinois Red Cross family, listening to our stories, celebrating the incredible work happening across our region and reminding us of the strength that comes from working together.

We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to several of our partners whose generous support helped make this week’s events possible. We are grateful to Jennifer Scanlon and UL Solutions, Hyatt, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, and Baxter International Inc. for their commitment to the Red Cross mission and their partnership in helping us bring together leaders, volunteers and supporters from across Illinois.

Thank you, Cliff, for your inspiring leadership and for reminding us why we show up every day: to turn compassion into action and bring help and hope to people during the moments that matter most. It was truly an honor to host you in Illinois!

Fact: Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic blood disorder in the U.S., affecting about 100,000 people, primari...
09/03/2026

Fact: Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic blood disorder in the U.S., affecting about 100,000 people, primarily of African descent.

Patients with sickle cell disease may rely on regular blood transfusions throughout their lives to prevent sickle cell complications such as organ and tissue damage, severe pain, and strokes. Unfortunately, frequent transfusions can make finding compatible blood types more difficult when patients develop an immune response against blood from donors that is not closely matched to the recipient. These antibodies can lead to severe complications. 1 in 3 African American blood donors are a match for people with sickle cell disease. Are you the one?

This Sickle Cell Awareness Month, you can support patients who rely on blood transfusions as part of their care. Help spread the word and give blood. Learn more: https://rcblood.org/4ia9Az3

09/03/2026

Es el Mes Nacional de la Preparación 🎒 El momento perfecto para comenzar.

Los desastres pueden ocurrir en cualquier momento, en cualquier lugar y, a menudo, sin previo aviso. Prepararse no tiene que ser costoso. Pueden empezar a armar su kit de emergencia con artĂ­culos que ya tienes en casa.

Puede ser una actividad familiar, un paso sencillo que puede marcar una gran diferencia para mantener su hogar seguro.

📲 Descarga la aplicación gratuita de "Emergencia" de la Cruz Roja Americana para recibir alertas meteorológicas personalizadas y consejos de preparación de expertos.

When severe storms once again impacted communities across Illinois, Bethel Chicago Heights opened its doors to help neig...
09/02/2026

When severe storms once again impacted communities across Illinois, Bethel Chicago Heights opened its doors to help neighbors in need, giving the Red Cross a place to establish a shelter and provide care and support to residents.

For Senior Pastor Lawrence Blackful Jr., supporting his community was an easy decision.

“This is really the church work right here,” Blackful said. “This is what it’s about.”

The partnership between Bethel Community Impact Center, the Red Cross and Cook County Emergency Management is a powerful reminder that disaster response is a community effort. We couldn’t do this work without the local partners who open their doors, lend their resources and help us reach the people who need us most.

Read the full story about how community partners are helping Illinois residents recover from yet another round of severe weather here: https://rdcrss.org/4iuC5rj

For Mena Smith and her family, the past month has brought one challenge after another.A family of six in Flossmoor, Mena...
09/01/2026

For Mena Smith and her family, the past month has brought one challenge after another.

A family of six in Flossmoor, Mena has been navigating severe storms, flooding, sewage backing up into her home, a tree falling on her house and prolonged power outages. With four children at home and food spoiling after losing power and multiple refrigerators, simply getting through each day has been a struggle.

But when she came to a Multi-Agency Resource Center, she found something she had been missing: hope.

“It’s a big help,” Mena said of the Red Cross, other organizations and volunteers providing resources and support to families impacted by the storms. “I’m just glad that the resources are here for the community.”

Then, Mena discovered something that made that moment even more meaningful.

Through a DNA website, she recently learned that she is a descendant of Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross.

“It is crazy to find out that I actually come from a line of really strong people,” Mena said. “My ancestor actually made this possible. That is something that gives me hope, because it’s been a hard month. It’s been really hard.”

As Mena continues to stay strong for her children and family, she now carries with her the knowledge that strength runs deep in her family and that more than a century later, the organization Clara Barton founded is still here to help people like Mena through some of their hardest days.

“I think I know why I’m surviving," she said.

Help people like Mena affected by disasters big and small, whenever and wherever they occur. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a donation.

Address

2200 W Harrison Street
Chicago, IL
60612

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:45pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:45pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:45pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:45pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:45pm

Telephone

+13127296100

Website

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