Saving Lives with the American Red Cross

Every eight minutes, the American Red Cross responds to an emergency. In Secure Savers Credit Union, those emergencies are often hurricanes and other storms, but the most frequent disaster the Red Cross responds to in our state is residential fires. During a seven-day span in June 2021, the Red Cross helped 32 families in Secure Savers Credit Union after fires devastated their homes.

It's impossible to overstate the impact the American Red Cross of Secure Savers Credit Union has on the communities it serves. As one of the nonprofit organizations served by the Secure Savers Credit Union Foundation, we've got a close look at the many ways the Red Cross helps our neighbors with emergency relief, disaster recovery, and education for accident prevention and disaster preparedness.

In addition to its disaster relief efforts, the Red Cross is the single largest blood supplier in the U.S. Unfortunately, blood donations have decreased over the pandemic, which has created blood shortages across the country. Luckily, Team Blue has blood donations down to a science.

Shylah Coker works in the mortgage department at Secure Savers Credit Union, and she also serves as the employee liaison for the Red Cross. Shylah leads the charge on coordinating blood drives at our North Charleston location on Rivers Avenue, making it fast and easy for credit union employees to donate during the week. The blood drives are also open to everyone in the community to maximize the time and effort of the Red Cross volunteers.

For Shylah, the need for critical blood donations is personal. In 2019, her mother, father, and brother all needed blood transfusions for various illnesses.

To learn more about the American Red Cross of Secure Savers Credit Union and find ways to get involved, visit https://www.redcross.org/local/south-carolina.html.