American Red Cross Launches Redesigned Redcross.org

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross has rolled out a redesigned website, redcross.org, to enable people to easily find help and to empower them to help others through their donations of time, blood or money. The redesigned site also provides a better user experience for people who want to take a Red Cross course and be prepared for emergencies.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090108/RedCrossLOGO)

"The Red Cross has continually evolved with the times since its founding, and the redesigned redcross.org represents the latest way the organization is harnessing technology to help perform its lifesaving mission," said Craig Oldham, vice president of Digital Engagement at the Red Cross. "We believe the new site will help the people we serve get help quickly and easily, and empower people across the country to give help by taking a class, donating blood, volunteering or by making a generous financial contribution."

Earlier in the year the Red Cross unveiled its new brand identity, which honors the history of the Red Cross while seeking to appeal to a new generation of volunteers and donors. The redesigned website continues the organization's evolution, and invites people to become part of the Red Cross. Building on the leadership of the Red Cross in the social media space, the redesigned site features a greater emphasis on user-generated content and contributions.

Additional features of the redesigned redcross.org include:

• The use of geo-location to tailor a user's site experience and make it more relevant. For example, a person in a state impacted by wildfires may have a different site experience than a person in a state affected by floods.
• An improved financial donation process and online course scheduling experience, which includes the ability to search for courses by geography or date. Users can see their transaction history for courses and donations and know the impact that they have made. They can also manage their profile and billing information, including their monthly donations, and manage their course registrations online.
• The integration of Red Cross content from across the country. Over time, a site visitor will see the impact that their local Red Cross is having in their community, as well as learn how the Red Cross is responding to disasters nationally and internationally.
• A new mobile-optimized site. The Red Cross needs to be wherever people go, which makes mobile optimization and other mobile activities vital to the Red Cross.    

The launch of the redesigned website follows the recently released Red Cross First Aid App, as well as a new Hurricane App, which have both achieved an average 4.0/5.0 user rating so far. The Hurricane and First Aid Apps can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

SOURCE American Red Cross