Red Cross Opens $30-Million War Campaign

The American Red Cross began a $30-million campaign Tuesday to support humanitarian efforts for U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf, their families and other victims of the conflict.

The campaign is the largest such effort the organization has undertaken since World War II, said American Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole.

The organization expects to use $20 million for U.S. forces and their families. The remaining $10 million will be given to the International Red Cross to assist foreign victims of the war, including Iraqis.

“We are a neutral organization,” said Dole, who until recently served as secretary of labor in the Bush Administration. “We want to be helping victims of war, no matter what their nationality.”

Dole said the organization has already spent more money for services related to the Persian Gulf crisis than had been earmarked, necessitating an appeal to the American people. Funds raised by the new campaign will be exclusively for needs created by the war, she said.

Programs that will benefit from the influx of new funds include assisting the wounded and their families, counseling services for families of troops, relaying emergency messages to and from Gulf personnel and helping people displaced because of the conflict.

In addition, Dole said the Red Cross has been asked by the military to be prepared to provide up to 7,000 pints of blood a week for shipment to the Persian Gulf. The Red Cross ships about 300 pints of blood a week to the Gulf and has already sent 8,500 pints of blood to augment the military’s supplies.

Former President Reagan is the campaign’s chairman. One of the first contributors was President Bush, who donated $1,000.

American Airlines will ask its frequent flyers to donate earned mileage for use by families visiting injured troops. Upjohn, McDonnell Douglas and the AT&T; Foundation each contributed $100,000.