One Number, One Call Center, One Red Cross

For several years, the Louisville Area Chapter has acted as a call center hub for hundreds of Red Cross chapters across the U.S. When military members needed to return home for an emergency such as the loss of a loved one or the birth of a child, it is likely that they were assisted by a caseworker in Louisville.

Today, Monday, June 13, our call center will become one of four in the world, responsible for supporting the American Red Cross Emergency Call Center Enterprise (ECCE). The four centers—located in Louisville; Fort Sill, OK; San Diego and Springfield, MA—will serve 1.4 million active duty military members and their families along with members of the National Guard and Reserves.

Before the call center consolidation, the Louisville Area Chapter provided service for many chapters across the U.S. Areas served by the LAC are marked in the map above by a red dot or outline.

Along with streamlining the call centers, military families will now be able to use one number to send an urgent message to a service member. That new number is 1-877-272-7337. The number is toll free and can be used worldwide.

The transition is meant to improve service delivery to the military members and families seeking assistance, as well as allow chapters more time to focus on military outreach programs. For more on American Red Cross Emergency Communications Services, visit www.redcross.org.

'Tis the season to serve those who serve

Yesterday, service men and women around the world began receiving cards from the American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign. The campaign is in its fourth year and was started as a way to send members of the armed forces a little piece of home while they are on base or in a military hospital.

The Fort Knox Service Center has its own way of thanking service members during the holidays through the Santa's Workshop program. The program's mission is to provide toys to military families at Fort Knox facing financial challenges this holiday season.

Beginning in October, the service center accepts applications from military families. Once a family is approved, they are invited to shop at Santa's Workshop where they can choose two brand new toys, a book and stocking stuffers for each child. Each family also receives a board game to encourage family togetherness.


This year, Santa's Workshop provided nearly 500 families with 6,500 toys and 16,000 stocking stuffers. Some of the toys given out included bicycles assembled and donated by Thornton's during the company's annual team-building humanitarian project.

Serving those who Serve

Louisville Area Chapter Call Center

A Red Cross branch of service that is sometimes overlooked is Services to the Armed Forces--SAF for short. The American Red Cross is Congressionally chartered to provide emergency communications to members of the military. The basement of the Louisville Area Chapter is home to a call center where volunteers help military members everyday.

To give you a better idea of the help provided, here is a story about Rhonda Mitchell, the mother of a service member recently assisted.

In February of 2010, Rhonda's grandmother, Florence Whiteside took ill, falling into a coma. Concerned with her grandmother’s state, Rhonda contacted the Red Cross to help bring home her son, Anthony Flemister, a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force who was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Rhonda and Anthony were very close to Florence as she helped raise them both.

Shortly after Anthony returned home, Florence made a miraculous recovery, and Anthony was able to spend time with her before returning to Japan.

Only a few months later, Florence’s sickness returned. On June 26, she passed away, and again the Red Cross was able to help Anthony return home in time to attend his great grandmother’s funeral.

To show their appreciation, both Rhonda and Anthony visited the call center on July 9 to thank Red Cross workers. Rhonda said that of the service they received from the Red Cross, she was most surprised by the follow-up calls from the call center and the empathy from the people she spoke with.

“It was really something to shout on a mountain top about,” she said. “The people act like they really care. They made sure my needs were met.”

To find out more about Red Cross Services to the Armed forces, go to www.redcross.org.