About Us

Since 1917, the American Red Cross Highlands Chapter has been providing lifesaving services to our local community. Each and every year we touch 1 out of 10 lives in our five-county service area with a population of more than 588,500 people. We are part of the Triangle Region, based in Raleigh, that is comprised of five chapters and serves a population of more than 2.75 million people across a 20-county area providing relief to victims of disaster and helping people prepare for, prevent, and respond to emergencies.

We help the military and their families. .The Highlands Chapter is the direct line of communication between military personnel and their families when an emergency strikes. Each year, we provide an average of 25,000 emergency communications and other services to members of our military and their families and reach more than 4,780 people through our “Get to Know Us Before You Need Us” outreach program.

We supply life-saving blood. .The Highlands Chapter helps to recruit donors to provide more than 2,760 units of life-saving blood each year. Each unit of blood may be separated into three parts that will help save the lives of as many as three people.

We teach lifesaving skills. .The Highlands Chapter help teach lifesaving CPR, First Aid, Water Safety and Babysitting and reaches more than 25,300 members of our community through our Preparedness and Health & Safety Services each year.

We shelter, feed and care for disaster victims. .Each year, the Highlands Chapter helps respond to local disasters, providing assistance to more than 350 families (shelter, basic needs of food and clothing, guidance and referrals) and preventing close to 4,600 nights of homelessness.

The American Red Cross in Your Own Community .The Highlands Chapter was established on April 17, 1917. A committee, led by Mrs. C.C. McAllister, wanted to get involved in the Red Cross effort to support the military as they became entangles in World War I. An organization meeting was held in the Market House in downtown Fayetteville to establish a Red Cross Auxiliary. A few months later, the committee reorganized as the Fayetteville Chapter. Only a few months later, reorganization created the Cumberland County Chapter.