American Red Cross Northern Minnesota Region - Annual Report FY12 July 2011-June 2012 | Page 6

Serving the Military, Their Families and Veterans
Our Red Cross region gives support to active-duty military members, National Guard
called ‘Get to Know Us Before You Need Us,’ and connect families with needed resources
when their loved ones are deployed.
Deployed service members also count on us to deliver emergency messages, such as
communications, which help commanders decide when to grant leave. We also provide
support for the sick and wounded at military and veterans hospitals and assistance in

During FY12, we
• Briefed 4,899 families through the ‘Get to Know Us Before You Need Us’ program
• Provided 3,341 services to military members, veterans and families, including emergency
communications

The Huebner Family
Something meaningful like a blood donation is a gift that doesn’t cost a thing but can
give hope to patients in need - something the
was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia
and required many blood transfusions during
his treatment. His wife Heather received
blood when their twin daughters were delivered by c-section and the premature babies
both needed transfusions while in the ICU.
“We know how crucially important it is to
have blood available when a loved one needs
it,” says Heather. “We encourage our family,
friends and all eligible donors to take the time
to pay it forward because our family is living
proof that blood saves lives.”

Blood—Making Sure It’s Available
We supported the efforts of the American Red Cross North Central Blood Services
Region, which processes, tests and safeguards blood collected from donors in
communities throughout Minnesota, western Wisconsin and eastern South Dakota, and
distributes nearly 240,000 units of lifesaving blood to 106 hospitals.
The need is constant – every day in our country, approximately 44,000 units of blood are
required in hospitals and emergency treatment facilities for patients with cancer and other
diseases, for organ transplant recipients and to help save the lives of accident victims.