RENO - The American Red Cross launched the Team Red Cross App, which allows people to sign up to help, get an overview on basic tasks and receive notifications about Red Cross disaster volunteer opportunities in their community.
"When people see an emergency happening in their community, they often want to help but may not know how," said Clara Andriola, American Red Cross Northern Nevada CEO. "The Team Red Cross App provides an easy and quick way for people to sign up to help the Red Cross and support their community."
Once users download the app, they create an account. Then they learn about different jobs, such as responding to a home fire to support clients who have lost everything, handing out supplies, assisting with feeding or attending community events. When the Red Cross has a need for volunteers, the Team Red Cross App will notify users based on their location. Potential volunteers can instantly accept or decline the volunteer opportunity.
The Red Cross is encouraging the public to download the app before a disaster strikes in northern Nevada so volunteers can help immediately.
The app is free and designed for iPhone and Android smart phones and tablets. Additional features include:
• A quick orientation right on the mobile device.
• Ability for people to share notifications for volunteers with their social network.
• Earn digital "badges" by completing a job test, accepting a job, sharing the app, recruiting volunteers, etc. The "badges" can then be shared with their social network.Allows people to donate money to the Red Cross and sign up to donate blood.
• Offers emergency response information that people can share with their friends at the touch of a button.
The Team Red Cross App is the seventh in a series of Red Cross apps, which are now on more than 3 million mobile devices across the country. A recent Red Cross survey shows that apps are now tied with social media as the fourth most popular way to get information during emergencies-behind TV, radio and online news sites. Nearly one-fifth of Americans say they've received some kind of emergency information from an app they've downloaded, making the Red Cross apps an important way for the public to get ready for disasters.
The Team Red Cross App can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store by searching for American Red Cross or by going to redcross.org/mobileapps.
Anyone interested in becoming a Red Cross volunteer in northern Nevada can click the Volunteer link at redcross.org/northernnevada webpage.
Please feel free to contact Liz Valdez, Volunteer Coordinator, at the Red Cross office at (775) 856-1000 during business hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or contact Liz at elisabeth.valdez@redcross.org.
About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross Northern Nevada chapter area covers 87,000 square miles with a population of more than 670,000 people. The chapter territory is from Tonopah north, with our main chapter in Reno and branch offices in Elko, Incline Village and Winnemucca.
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