Last Updated:
Thursday, December 14, 2006

Statement of Understanding between The American National Red Cross and the American Association of the Deaf-Blind.

I. Purpose
The purpose of this Statement of Understanding (SOU) is to develop a working relationship between The American National Red Cross (American Red Cross or Red Cross) and American Association of the Deaf-Blind (AADB). Both organizations are committed to advancing the opportunities for people with disabilities.

AADB and the Red Cross have prepared this SOU to provide the framework for national cooperation between the two organizations that will enhance the involvement and participation of persons with disabilities in Red Cross programs and services.

II. Concept of Operations
Each party to this SOU is a separate and independent organization. As such, each organization retains its own identity in providing service and each organization is responsible for establishing its own policies and financing its own activities.

III. Mission of the American Red Cross
The Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. It does this through services that are consistent with its congressional charter and the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent.

The Red Cross accomplishes its mission through a cadre of 1.2 million volunteers, more than 30,000 employees, and approximately 1,000 operating units, including chapters, a network of Blood Services Regions and national testing laboratories, stations on military bases and in military hospitals worldwide, a national headquarters and service areas.

The Red Cross is committed to cultivating people, programs and services that are both sensitive to and accepting of people with disabilities. Red Cross employees and volunteers come from all regions of the country and all walks of life. People with disabilities add richness to our organization as both service providers and service recipients.

IV. Authority of the American Red Cross
The Red Cross provides approximately 45% of the nation’s blood supply and is the largest provider of blood in the United States. Nearly four million people donate lifesaving blood through the Red Cross.

The American public recognizes the Red Cross as a leading provider of health and safety education in the areas of first aid, CPR, swimming and lifeguard training, and HIV/AIDS education. On average, 12 million people enroll in Red Cross health and safety courses each year.

In providing disaster relief, the Red Cross has both a legal and a moral mandate that it has neither the authority nor right to surrender. The Red Cross has both the power and the duty to act in disaster, and our prompt action is clearly expected and supported by the public.

The Red Cross’s authority to perform disaster services was formalized when the organization was chartered by the Congress of the United States in 1905. Among other provisions, the charter charged the Red Cross “to continue and carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating the suffering caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry on measures for preventing the same.” [US Congress, act of January 5, 1905, as amended, 36 U.S.C.]

The authority of the Red Cross to provide disaster services was reaffirmed by federal law in the 1974 Disaster Relief Act (Public Law 93-288) and the 1988 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

V. Organization of the American Red Cross
The national headquarters of the Red Cross is located in Washington, D.C. National headquarters is responsible for implementing policies and regulations that govern Red Cross activities, and for giving administrative and technical supervision and guidance to the Units. Units include chapters and Blood Services Regions. The Board of Governors has delegated to the duly constituted volunteer governing board of each chartered unit the authority and responsibility for (a) governance of the chartered unit, (b) delivery of authorized services in the territorial jurisdiction of the chartered unit, and (c) meeting corporate obligations, in conformity with and subject to the limitations stated in corporate regulations.

The Red Cross provides the following: disaster services; emergency communication between the American public and their family members serving in the U.S. Armed Forces; Biomedical Services; health, safety, youth and community services, and international services.

Each Red Cross unit (chapter, Blood Services Region) has the authority and responsibility for carrying out the purposes of the Red Cross, for delivering local Red Cross services, and for meeting corporate obligations with the territorial jurisdiction assigned in the conformity of corporate regulations.

There are over 800 chapters across the United States and its territories, which operate independently under the leadership of local boards of directors. Each chapter is responsible for local disaster response, local Armed Forces Emergency Services, and scheduling and conducting Health and Safety Services programs under the guidance of qualified paid and volunteer staff.

There are 35 Blood Services Regions nationwide. They are responsible for the collection, processing, testing and distribution of blood, and they service nearly 3,000 of the nation’s hospitals. Red Cross Blood Services fulfill the needs of the American people for the safest, most reliable, most cost-effective blood services through voluntary donations.

VI. Mission of AADB
The mission of the American Association of the Deaf-Blind is to enable deaf-blind persons to achieve their maximum potential through increased independence, productivity and integration into the community.

The AADB is a national consumer organization of, by, and for deaf-blind Americans. "Deaf-blind" does not necessarily mean totally deaf and totally blind. It is a broad term that describes people who have varying degrees and types of both vision and hearing loss. Examples are: hard of hearing and visually impaired, deaf and tunnel vision, hard of hearing and blind, and so forth.

AADB has deaf-blind members from all walks of life with diverse educational, vocational, social, and ethnic/racial backgrounds. The membership also includes many people who are not deaf-blind themselves but who support AADB's mission and activities.

Because of the diversity of deaf-blindness, AADB members use different communication methods, including American Sign Language (ASL) close up or tactile, speech/lip reading, Braille, large print, etc.

VII. Organization of AADB
AADB is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Service code. The organization is a beneficial society of deaf-blind persons and other interested individuals, organized for the purpose of advancing the economic, educational, employment, social equality, and just rights and privileges as deaf-blind residents of the United States of America. A board of directors of whom the majority are deaf-blind themselves governs the organization that is supported by membership dues, individual and corporate donations, grants and other funding sources.

AADB organization is a versatile unit structure. Chapter affiliation has not been formed because every local deaf-blind group throughout the nation is independently operated. Depending on the population of the members who are deaf-blind, some units are statewide, regional or metropolitan organizations. For example, Seattle, WA; Minneapolis, MN; Austin, TX; Washington, DC and Baton Rouge, LA are the most populated metropolitan areas of the people who are deaf-blind.

Biennial national conferences are held where people with both hearing loss and vision loss come together for support, networking, and education. Biennial national conferences are held where people with both hearing loss and vision loss come together for support, networking, and education.

VIII. Methods of Cooperation
To coordinate and use the resources of the Red Cross and the AADB to the fullest advantage in enhancing and expanding the involvement of the AADB members and constituencies in Red Cross programs and services, both organizations have agreed to the following methods of cooperation over the term of this SOU.

IX. Periodic Review
Representatives of Red Cross and AADB will meet on or around the anniversary date of this SOU to evaluate the progress in the implementation of the SOU and to revise and develop new plans or goals as appropriate. The staff of both the Red Cross and AADB will establish measures of success and methodologies for tracking progress. Modification or amendments to the SOU may also be made prior to the anniversary date by mutual agreement of both parties.
The Corporate Diversity Department at the Red Cross National Headquarters will coordinate Red Cross participation in this SOU. The National Office and Regional Offices of AADB will coordinate the participation of AADB.

X. Terms of Agreement
This SOU shall be effective on January 1, 2006, and shall remain in effect until December 31, 2009. Six months prior to termination, the parties shall meet to review the progress and success of the SOU and determine whether the SOU shall be extended. In no event shall any extension of this SOU be for a period of more than five years. Both parties understand that at any time this SOU may be terminated by written notification from either party to the other.

XI. Miscellaneous
This SOU does not create a partnership or a joint venture, and neither party has the authority to bind the other.

Jeffrey S. Bohrman
Treasurer & Representative
American Association of the Deaf-Blind

Jack McGuire
President and Chief Executive Officer
The American National Red Cross

January 1, 2006

AADB On The Move
No Deaf-Blind Left Behind