[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 10 (Monday, March 11, 2002)]
[Pages 334-335]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7525--American Red Cross Month, 2002

 March 2, 2002

 By the President of the United States

 of America

 A Proclamation

    The American Red Cross is one of our Nation's oldest and most 
renowned charitable organizations. It provides help, hope, and healing 
when disasters or other crises strike countries, communities, or 
families around the world.
    Founded in 1881 by Clara Barton, the American Red Cross was 
chartered by the Congress in 1905 to provide aid in times of need. Each 
year, the Red Cross responds to more than 67,000 disasters nationwide. 
These include natural disasters, thousands of home fires, and 
catastrophic emergencies--such as the brutal terrorist attacks of 
September 11, 2001. The Red Cross was among the first to respond to this 
unprecedented national crisis, providing direct assistance to more than 
50,000 families, shelter for thousands of displaced persons, millions of 
meals for the hungry, and grief counseling for more than 200,000 
individuals affected by the trauma. The Red Cross also provides 
assistance during international emergencies. Responding to my request, 
it helped create and now administers America's Fund for Afghan Children. 
American children were asked to donate one dollar to aid Afghani 
children, and this effort has already provided $2.4 million in medicine 
and other supplies to Afghanistan. Last year, the Red Cross rushed 
immediate medical aid and other needed items to countries devastated by 
natural disasters, and it helped millions of people around the world to 
battle malnutrition and life-threatening diseases and gain access to 
safe drinking water.
    Other Red Cross services include recruiting millions of people 
annually to donate blood and thereby provide hospitals with half of the 
Nation's supply of blood and blood products. Red Cross personnel are now 
with our troops who are fighting terrorism in Afghanistan. They live 
alongside our soldiers in harsh conditions and work around the clock to 
fulfill an historic role. They help to keep service members and their 
families in touch with each other, and offer other small comforts to 
ease the strain of those who are serving the cause of freedom.
    At home, the Red Cross' courses in lifesaving skills, first aid, 
CPR, and water safety, provide Americans with information they need to 
help maintain safe and healthy lives. Our communities also benefit from 
Red Cross programs that provide hot meals and transportation for the 
homebound, as well as housing and job training for the homeless.
    Over one million Red Cross volunteers help make our country stronger 
and more compassionate by relieving suffering and saving lives every 
year. The USA Freedom Corps initiative will provide the Red Cross with 
even more volunteers to help further its important mission. As we 
celebrate American Red Cross Month, I call on all our citizens to 
recommit to serving others in need. Collective acts of kindness and 
compassion point the way to a brighter future for our Nation and the 
world.
    Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of 
America and Honorary Chairman of the American Red Cross, by virtue of 
the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United 
States, do hereby proclaim March 2002 as American Red Cross Month. 
Especially during this extraordinary time for our country, I encourage 
all Americans to support this organization's noble humanitarian mission.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of 
March, in the year of our Lord two thousand two, and of the Independence 
of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-sixth.
                                                George W. Bush

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., March 5, 
2002]

Note: This proclamation was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on March 4, and it was published in the Federal Register on 
March 6.

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