Dear Red Cross supporter,
The entire Red Cross family would like to thank you for your generous donation. Because of your support, we can continue helping those who need us.
Red Cross Aruba recently celebrated 65 years helping the Aruban community. The main goal of the Red Cross is to provide humanitarian assistance where needed. The prime motivation of the Red Cross response to disaster is to alleviate human suffering among the most vulnerable.
Aid is given regardless of race, creed, nationality, religion or political belief of the recipients and without adverse distinction of any kind. As a non-profit organization, it consists of about 150 volunteers and a paid operation office of 4 persons. Red Cross Aruba does not receive any funding from the Aruban government.
One of our priorities is to regularly train our volunteers on many different specialties so that they can immediately go into action in any situation. We invest a lot in working material so that they can execute their work when they assist at the many events on the island. For example, many sport events, concerts and cultural events. They also assist throughout the year at schools who have activities that require first aid assistance. We also are present at most of the events of other non-profit organizations during fun walks. We do this in support to their cause.
Every month we organize a Charity Bazaar, where we sell donated items for a maximum of 5 florin, in order to raise funds to provide food for the less fortunate. We receive weekly requests of families in need, so Red Cross helps them with a crisis package and connects them with the office of social affairs. We also have an Emergency Home where we receive people for 72 hours during a calamity, for example, if a family has lost their home in a fire.
To prepare for calamities in Aruba, we also offer our volunteers a Vulnerability Capacity Assessment training, so that they can assess the affected areas before and after a disaster and can provide assistance and recommendations. Red Cross Aruba also offers First & CPR courses, with the goal to train people to be able to save lives. And not to forget, we find it important to dedicate time to the people with disabilities in Aruba, so we organize an annual truck parade for at least 80 people, the Paranda di Bochincha, with the support of truck companies and truck owners.
We also create awareness in the community for topics that are important to expose, like our joint campaign #No Sconde Mas with Kiwanis Club of Aruba. This campaign launched in July with the goal to bring the topic of child abuse out in the open to be discussed and bring the message in the community that victims should not keep quiet anymore, but also for anyone who sees child abuse to report this. This campaign is backed up by information evenings in the Centro di Barios twice a month with a panel of professionals of the field with the topic “How to recognize signs of abuse”. There is more… with Red Cross support the first hospice in Aruba was opened!
We are proud Red Crossers, knowing that we make a difference in lives! Thanks to your help we can continue to do so.
Best Regards,
The Red Cross Aruba family
