Learn About Us Since 1917 Since 1917, the American Red Cross of Ventura County has been meeting the needs of our neighbors throughout the many communities we serve. As the world’s leading humanitarian organization, our network of more than 1,200 volunteers have responded to disasters, provided lifesaving education, helped families to prepare for emergencies before they occur, and kept members of our Armed Forces connected with their loved ones during times of tragedy and joy. Each year, the American Red Cross of Ventura County responds to between fifty and seventy tragic local disasters. From Westlake Village, to Piru, to the Ojai Valley, and everywhere in between, dedicated members of the Red Cross team provide vital relief twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. We meet the needs of those impacted by major incidents such as the floods and mudslide of January 2005, but we’re also there for the family in Oxnard who loses their home to a residential fire. We provide safe housing, food, clothing, prescription medications, and more. All of our disaster relief services are free of charge, and are made possible through generous contributions of time and money from those who live and work right here in Ventura County. The Red Cross trains nearly 35,000 of our neighbors annually in skills that save lives such as first aid, CPR, and the use of the Automated External Defibrillator. These classes, offered for a fee, bring high quality training to our workplaces and communities where risks are real. They reach into every corner of the communities we serve. Through our participation in the Americorps program, we also teach thousands of area families how to make disaster plans and build disaster supplies kits. Our Community Disaster Education courses can be customized to meet the needs of specific populations. When tragedy strikes the families of those who serve in the military, the American Red Cross is there. Since World War II, we have worked with military families to confirm medical emergencies and pass vital messages on to those stationed around the world. As members of our Armed Forces depart for dangerous duty, or as they return from their difficult work abroad, Red Cross volunteers are there to lend a hand. Governed by a twenty-nine member Board of Directors, the American Red Cross of Ventura County operates on an annual budget of just over $1.8 Million. It employs nearly twenty members on its paid staff, supported by more than 1,200 volunteers. 86 cents of every dollar contributed to our local chapter directly support vital programs and services that save lives, ranking us among the most efficient charities in our community. We need your help. The American Red Cross is not a government agency, so it relies on the generosity of its neighbors.