American Red Cross Marks Anniversary

May 21st Marks Anniversary of American Red Cross Founding

It wasn’t until 60 years after its founding that the American Red Cross would begin its National Blood Donor Service – supplying blood for the U.S. military during World War II. The American Red Cross would collect more than 13 million pints of blood for the Armed Forces before ending the program in August 1945. The American Red Cross would revive its National Blood Donor Service in 1948, but, this time, the blood collected would be for civilians. Since then, the American Red Cross has become the single largest blood supplier in the nation – providing more than 40 percent of the blood for the country each year. Today, Blood Services continues to touch the lives of sick and injured patients in need, and committed volunteer blood donors play an integral role in helping the Red Cross maintain a healthy and reliable blood supply.