What are the three best ways to show your support for the Canadian Red Cross?

Have you longed for a way to give back to your community or help those in need gain resources that will improve the quality of their lives? As a supporter of the Canadian Red Cross, you can provide invaluable support to programs that benefit vulnerable communities and individuals. Unsure of how to get involved? Consider these three great ways to leave your mark today!

Make a difference by donating
From disaster management to health to violence and abuse prevention programs, as the country's leading humanitarian organization, the Canadian Red Cross lends crucial assistance to communities in Canada and around the world. Yet, in order to maintain the most comprehensive services, the Canadian Red Cross depends on donations from people like you.

Whether you want to assist by helping those affected by natural disasters, like Hurricane Sandy, or help us be ready for the next call for help, your donation to the Red Cross will make a difference in someone's life.

If you plan to make a regular gift to the Canadian Red Cross, you should consider becoming a monthly donor. By giving every month, you make it possible for the Red Cross to respond rapidly to domestic and international incidents and help affected people quickly access emergency supplies the moment a disaster strikes.

Leave your mark as a volunteer
The Canadian Red Cross supports programs across the country, and with the help of a dedicated team of volunteers, it is able to respond to emergencies and disasters wherever they occur. More than 25,000 people donate their time, talents and passion to services offered by the Canadian Red Cross, helping guarantee that we are ready to respond when Canadians need us the most.

Those who volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross have a variety of options. Whether you're looking to support disaster relief operations or lend your time to support vital social programming in your community, there are many opportunities to apply for with the Red Cross that can help you gain a greater understanding of the world around you.

Best of all, as a volunteer you'll gain vital job skills and have the opportunity to build lasting friendships!

Plan a legacy for future humanitarian work

While supporting specific appeals to the Canadian Red Cross can be a wonderful way to help those in need, you can make a lasting difference by including the Red Cross as a charitable beneficiary when drawing up your Will. Or you can write a simple Codicil to an existing Will. A percentage gift of your RRSP or RRIF can be named without inclusion in your Will. While we don't know what will happen in the future, we can be sure that the work of the Red Cross will always be needed. The Canadian Red Cross recommends that you consult with your family and your financial advisors when planning your Estate.

And during your lifetime, you might want to consider the following tax-smart gifts: a charitable gift annuity which will provide you with a stream of income while making a charitable gift, a transfer of publicly traded securities, a donation of an existing fully paid up life insurance policy which you no longer require.

Contact us to learn more! A Red Cross representative will be pleased to speak with you without obligation. 

How you can help
No matter which path you choose, the Canadian Red Cross depends on assistance from dedicated Canadians just like you. To help those in need both in Canada and internationally, please donate online or contact your local Red Cross today!