An American Red Cross donation receipt is a written statement recording a financial or in-kind contribution to the American Red Cross. At the very least, it should include the donation amount or description, donation date, donation method, and the name and address of the donor. Because the American Red Cross is a registered 501(c)(3) exempt charity, donors can use these receipts to claim a tax deduction on their tax returns for eligible contributions.
Table of Contents
- What is the American Red Cross?
- How to Donate (3 Steps)
- Where Does the Money Go?
- American Red Cross Resources
What is the American Red Cross?
The American Red Cross is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to provide preparation and relief for human suffering in the face of great disasters. The organization facilitates blood donation collections, disaster relief, education, and services for military and veteran families worldwide. It prides itself on its seven (7) fundamental principles of service:
- Humanity;
- Impartiality;
- Independence;
- Neutrality;
- Unity;
- Universality; and
- Voluntary Service.
How to Donate (3 Steps)
Step 1: Visit Donation Portal
Visit the American Red Cross’s online donation portal. Select the donation frequency (one-time or monthly), the donation amount, which ARC cause it should support, whether the gift is dedicated to a loved one, and the payment method (credit card or PayPal). For the sake of this tutorial, we’re using a donation of $10.00 paid by credit card.
Step 2: Enter Donor’s Information
Selecting the payment method opens up the next window of the page. Enter the donor’s personal information, billing address, and credit card information.
Step 3: Complete Donation and Obtain Receipt
Click the “Donate” button to complete the donation. Check the email account provided with the contribution to receive an American Red Cross donation receipt.
Donate Blood
The American Red Cross collects 40% of the United States’s blood and blood product supply. It does this by hosting approximately five-hundred (500) blood drives daily across the country.
All blood donors must be in general good health and meet the following requirements to be eligible to donate. Find a local ARC blood drive here.
Table: Blood Donation Eligibility
Donation Type | AB Elite Plasma Donation | Platelet Donation | Power Red Donation | Whole Blood Donation |
Donation Description | Blood is drawn from one arm and sent through a machine that collects the plasma for donation and returns red cells and platelets to the donor.
Used by burn, trauma, and cancer patients. |
Platelets are tiny cells that form blood clots and stop bleeding.
Used to fight cancer, chronic diseases, and traumatic injuries. Must be used within five (5) days of donation. |
A special machine pulls red blood cells for donation and returns plasma and platelets to the donor | Red cells, white cells, and platelets suspended in plasma |
Frequency | Every twenty-eight (28) days
Up to thirteen (13) times per year |
Every seven (7) days
Up to twenty-four (24) times per year |
Every one-hundred and twelve (112) days
Up to three (3) times per year |
Every fifty-six (56) days
Up to six (6) times per year |
Age Requirement | 17 | 17 in most states | 17 (male)
19 (female) |
16 in most states |
Blood Type Requirement | AB (AB plasma is the only universal plasma type) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Height Requirement | N/A | N/A | 5’1″ (male)
5’5″ (female) |
N/A |
Weight Requirement | At least 110lb | At least 110lb | At least 130lb (male)
At least 150lb (female) |
At least 110lb |
Volunteer
90% of the American Red Cross’s workforce are volunteers. They include various businesses, clubs, groups, individuals, medical professionals, and schools.
- Administrative Assistant
- Grant Writer
- Public Speaker
- Translator
- Blood Delivery Driver
- Blood Donation Recruiter
- Blood Donor Ambassador
- Blood Drive Volunteer
- Blood Transportation Specialist
- Disaster Action Team (responds to single-family house fires)
- Disaster Health Services Team
- Disaster Services (provides comfort, food, homes, and shelters for families affected by natural disasters)
- Shelter Services (stocking supplies, monitoring inventory)
- CPR
- First Aid
- Instructors (babysitting, disaster preparedness, health and safety, international humanitarian law)
- ARC Board Member
- Armed Forces Case Worker
- Community Leader
- VA/Military Hospital Volunteer
Find local volunteer opportunities here.
Table: Other Ways to Donate
Donation Method/Type | How to Donate | Tax Deductible? |
Airline Miles | American (Miles of Hope) | No |
Alexa (via Amazon Pay) | “Alexa, make a donation to American Red Cross.” | Yes |
Check | Mail check payable to: American Red Cross P.O. Box 37839 Boone, IA 50037-0839Include a completed Donation Form |
Yes |
Corporate & Foundation Partnerships | Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) | Varies |
Credit Card Rewards | Citibank Citi ThankYou Rewards | No |
Donor Advised Fund | Send through DAF Direct, or
Mail check payable to: |
Yes |
Hotel Points | IHG Rewards Club | No |
IRA (Qualified Charitable Distribution) | Dollar amounts excluded from taxable income up to $100,000 annually
Made directly via IRA custodian |
Yes |
Matching Gifts | Check if an employer matches gifts for the American Red Cross | Yes |
Phone Call | 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-435-7669)
1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) 1-800-220-2095 (TDD) |
Yes |
Stocks & Mutual Funds | Send to: Muriel Siebert and Co., Inc. C/O National Financial Services DTC Number: 0226 ACCT Name: American Red Cross (Tax ID# 53-0196605) ACCT Number: A72-627844 |
Yes |
Text Message | Text REDCROSS to 90999
Donates $10 to ARC Disaster Relief |
Yes |
Tribute Gifts | Donate in Honor | Yes |
Vehicle | Submit Online Vehicle Donation Form
ARC sends a tow to pick up the vehicle from the donor |
Yes |
Wills, Trusts & Estates | Beneficiary Designation | Yes |
Where Does the Money Go?
The American Red Cross puts $0.90 out of every dollar it receives to provide blood, emotional support, first aid, food, recovery planning, relief supplies, shelter, and more to communities affected by natural disasters and political conflict.
Disaster Relief
- Responds to over 60,000 disasters every year, including but not limited to earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and tornados
Healthcare & Blood Drives
- Helped develop and implement testing for infectious diseases
- Initiative active since WWII
- Nation’s largest supplier of blood and blood services
- Often the only major contributor to clinical trials regarding blood safety
Home Fire Campaign
- 1,356 lives saved
- 2,403,311 smoke alarms installed in 1,019,000 households since 2014
- 2,665,432 people served
International Efforts
- Deploys disaster specialists to assist with communications, information management, logistics, mapping, and operational leadership.
- Distributes soap, water purification tablets, and other personal hygiene items to fight the spread of water-borne diseases like cholera during natural disasters
- Reconnected over 7,000 international families separated by earthquakes, extreme cold, droughts, famines, migration crises, political conflicts, wildfires, and typhoons.
- Strategically placed relief supply warehouses around the world (blankets, cooking kits, hygiene items, shelter tools, tarps, water containers
- Supported prevention and care efforts for the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and the HIV/AIDs epidemic in Asia, Europe, and Tanzania
- Teaches disaster preparedness to vulnerable and at-risk communities to help minimize their vulnerabilities in the face of natural disasters (community alert systems, disaster education, emergency shelters, first aid training
- Vaccinated over 2 billion children for measles & rubella since 2001
Military and Veteran Family Services
- Manages the Military & Veteran Caregiver Network
- Provides critical services on military bases and in military and VA hospitals around the globe:
- Facilitates military hospital and clinic programs to build morale, enhance therapy, and provide comfort to healing soldiers and veterans.
- Local community partner referrals for emergency needs for food, clothing, shelter, a variety of counseling services, and respite care for caregivers
- Provides critical assistance to veterans who need help with benefits claims and community resource referrals
- Red Cross Hero Care Center helps military and veteran families secure financial assistance from the Military Aid Societies for the burial of a loved one or emergency food, shelter, and travel.
- Supports soldiers and their families during deployments and emergencies:
- Coping With Deployments Course
- Emergency Communications: Deliver emergency communications between soldiers and families and help facilitate emergency leave during family emergencies
- Mind-Body Workshops
- Pre-Deployment Preparedness
- Post-Deployment Support
- Reconnection Workshops
Training and Certification Courses
- ARC online and in-person courses train over 4.5 million people annually in CPR, emergency response, and First Aid