Greater Somerset County Chapter of the American Red Cross

Honors Veterans and Military Families on Veterans Day

Somerville, NJ, November 11, 2008 – Today the Greater Somerset County Chapter of the American Red Cross salutes all veterans who throughout our nation’s history have so valiantly and selflessly served our country. The Red Cross has a historic and unique role in supporting veterans and their family members as well as members of the United States Armed Forces, members of the National Guard and Reserves.

Every day, the Red Cross Veterans Affairs Volunteer Services Program supports our nation’s veterans and their families in the 172 VA medical facilities around the nation providing a variety of services including physical rehabilitation, nursing and ward services, administrative help, and community outreach. The Red Cross also assists veterans, veterans’ widows and dependents with processing claims for VA benefits.

In addition to its support to veterans, Red Cross workers ensure essential communication links for all military families during times of crises. Working in more than 700 chapters across the country, 58 military installations, two state-of-the-art communication centers and at military installations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait, active duty military can count on the Red Cross to provide emergency communications which link the service member and their family members back home in times of an emergency.

According to Amy Sutton, executive director of the Greater Somerset County Chapter, “The Red Cross has aided hundreds of thousands of military members and families throughout the years and our chapter remains steadfastly committed to supporting the dedicated men and women in our community who serve our nation.”

In addition to handling emergency communication messages for families, the Red Cross also provides access to financial assistance through the military aid societies, confidential counseling services and valuable referrals.

Locally, the Greater Somerset County Chapter has a long, proud history serving military members, veterans and their families. “The Red Cross is the only non-profit agency responsible for providing 24/7 emergency communications and verifications to get our troops home when they are needed most,” Sutton continued. “I will never forget the family whose son was in Iraq. The father had died suddenly. The family was awaiting the son’s return for the funeral. Besides the grief, the family was anxious about how their son would be told and his long journey home. The work of Red Cross staff and volunteers made this trying time a little easier. It is through these moments that we understand the true sacrifice of our military and their families.”

Through its Service to Armed Forces program (SAF), the Greater Somerset County Chapter has volunteers who provide social support to veterans at the VA Hospital at Lyons and send care packages to our troops through Operation Jersey Cares and other organizations. “We have our youth volunteers and our partners

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writing letters to the troops to let them know that we care about them and our grateful for the untold sacrifices that they are making for our country,” stated Sutton.

For more information about Red Cross services to the military or to become a SAF Volunteer for the Greater Somerset County Chapter, visit the website at http://american-redcross.org or call 908-725-2217 to find out how you can help.

The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest U.S. supplier of blood and blood products. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. All American Red Cross service to the armed forces is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on voluntary donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.

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