MOU - The American Red Cross and the LDS Church

Partner Opportunities Bulletin from the American Red Cross

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the American Red Cross

Background
On March 27, 2012 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the “Church”) and the American Red Cross (the “Red Cross”). The MOU provides a broad framework for cooperation and engagement between the two organizations with respect to (among other activities): supporting each other’s efforts to create prepared communities; actively participating in disaster planning such as training, drills, and identifying shelter locations; encouraging volunteer participation; and supporting Blood Services in efforts to collect blood. The purpose of the MOU is to facilitate the desire of both the Red Cross and the Church to expand their mutually beneficial relationship to enhance community disaster preparedness, to coordinate disaster planning and response activities, and to ensure a safe and ample blood supply.

Organization Information
Since its founding, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has cared for the needy, including people affected by disaster. It encourages its members to be actively engaged in community causes, such as those promoted by the Red Cross. Church members are encouraged to live providently, as well as to prepare for emergencies.
Founded in 1881, the American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The Red Cross provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. The Red Cross provides services to those in need regardless of citizenship, race, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status or political affiliation.
Benefits of Collaboration

• Standardized facilities forms for shelters and blood drives included as attachments to the MOU.
• Church facilities can be used as Red Cross Shelters
• The MOU provides in Annex D a Shelter Agreement that describes the allocation and responsibility for joint expenses, cost reimbursed expenses or any other mutually agreed upon reimbursable process.
• Facilities may also be suitable used for warehousing or other collaborative disaster related activities.
• The Church recognizes the right of legitimate licensed organizations to collect blood.
• Localities where the Red Cross operates a blood center or regularly collects blood, the Church will encourage stake presidents (local leaders) to provide opportunities for regular blood drives within their jurisdictions, at their discretion, even if other blood donor organizations are used as well.
• It will no longer be necessary for the Red Cross to obtain written approval for individual blood drives.

For more information, please refer to the MOU, Attachment A – Organization Contact Information.