HOPE worldwide have signed a Memorandum of Understanding partnering the two nonprofits in the areas of blood drive participation, disaster preparedness, and youth and young adult programs and services.

HOPE worldwide is excited about the launch of our new national partnership with the American Red Cross. We look forward to making a difference together in the lives of American and in the hearts of our churches and volunteers. For more information please contact our Vice President of US Programs, Antonio Boyd at Antonio_Boyd @hopeww.org.

Initially, HOPE worldwide will concentrate on encouraging its more than 20,000 volunteers to become Red Cross blood donors. The effort to recruit new blood donors comes at the perfect time of the year, since January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month, a time when blood supplies often fall to low levels. Additional partnership projects are under discussion.

“This partnership is going to help prepare citizens across the country for disasters which will help save lives,” said Antonio Boyd, Vice President of US Programs at HOPE worldwide. “Our collaboration will allow HOPE worldwide and the American Red Cross to expand their missions and their reach. We believe that it also will have a great impact on the volunteers as they help there neighbors, family, and friends get prepared.”

According to American Red Cross National Chair of Volunteers Kate Forbes, “Our collaboration will allow HOPE worldwide volunteers to reach traditionally undeserved people in their communities in new ways, and it will further the Red Cross mission to provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.”

Forbes explained that the two organizations began exploring common goals in July when both the American Red Cross and HOPE worldwide received a Partner of the Year award at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in Philadelphia convened by the Points of Light Foundation and the Corporation for National and Community Services.

HOPE worldwide is an international charity that changes lives by harnessing the compassion and commitment of dedicated staff and volunteers to deliver sustainable, high-impact, community-based services to the poor and needy. This faith-based relief and development organization, founded in 1991 by the International Churches of Christ, is dedicated to serving the world's most poor, sick and suffering. In the U.S., HOPE worldwide is located in 40 cities and works in cooperation with over 135 churches that provide more than 20,000 volunteers. HOPE worldwide volunteers mobilize to help their communities with issues of disaster preparedness and relief, education, children, seniors, employment and community outreach.

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 supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. 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.