In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared March as Red Cross Month. For 69 years, every president has reaffirmed that declaration.

Be it fire, flood, earthquake or storm, American Red Cross volunteers are among the first responders when a natural disaster strikes a community.

Founded by Clara Barton in 1881, the American Red Cross is the foremost emergency-response organization in the nation. More than 500,000 volunteers nationwide give selflessly to help relieve suffering of their neighbors by providing food, shelter and emotional support to disaster victims.

In addition to responding to nearly 70,000 disasters yearly in the United States, the Red Cross also supports military veterans and collects more than 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply.

But there is a price for all this support, and the Red Cross depends on donations of your time and/or money to complete its mission.

“Please remember those who need our help and support the Red Cross by making a donation, becoming a volunteer, taking a class or giving blood,” Summer Woodard, executive director for the Pitt County and Greater Pamlico Area chapters, said in a news release. “We want to thank everyone for their generosity this past year, which has enabled us to help people here at home, across the United States and around the world.”

In conjunction with the Pitt County chapter, the Greater Pamlico Area chapter will kick off its Heroes campaign with a luncheon at the Greenville Fire Department on Tuesday. The event is open to the public.

For more information or to RSVP, call 252-355-3800 or email execdir@pittredcross.org.

There are never enough heroes at the American Red Cross.