Holiday Mail for Heroes

On this Veteran’s Day we would like to express our deepest appreciation to the 1.4 million men and woman serve in the U.S. armed forces, and to the 24 million + veterans who have served in the past. One of the primary missions of the Red Cross is Service to the Armed Forces, and in honor of that tradition we are happy to announce the Greater Manchester Chapter’s participation in this year’s Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

Through a partnership with the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes, this program provides Americans with the opportunity to extend holiday greeting and thanks to service members and veterans, many of whom will be far from home this holiday season. In order to assure service members and veterans receive these cards in time for the holidays, we ask that all cards be received at the Washington PO Box no later than December 7^th. For reasons of processing and safety, we also ask participants to refrain from sending care packages, monetary gifts, using glitter or including any inserts with the cards.

We invite everyone in the community to participate by sending your holiday greetings to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes

P.O. Box 5456

Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

For more information about the Holiday Mail for Heroes program, please visit www.redcross.org/holidaymail.

The Gift that Saves the Day

This past year has illustrated the Greater Manchester community’s loyal support of the Red Cross. In 2008 our chapter responded to nearly 50 fires in 10 different towns, a tornado, and the ice storm that devastated many across the state. During each of these events individuals turned to the Red Cross for help, and it was only through your generosity that we were able to assist those whose homes and belongings were damaged or destroyed and provide support to the emergency workers who responded.

Like the Greater Manchester Chapter, Red Cross chapters from across the United States and around the world respond to events large and small and affect a positive change. 200 times a day, American Red Cross volunteers help a family who lost everything in a house fire or other disaster; 19,000 times a day, someone outside the US receives urgent care following a disaster from the Red Cross and our partners; 21,000 times a day, someone receives a blood transfusion from a Red Cross donor; and every 60 seconds, the life saving mission of the American Red Cross has benefited 250 people.

In order to sustain our ability to respond in times of emergencies, we are asking you to consider joining with your colleagues, family, or friends, to give the give that saves the day. We are encouraging people to continue to be generous this holiday season in their support of the American Red Cross. Your gift will support the lifesaving mission of the American Red Cross in your community, across the country and around the world.