Military Families

Red Cross Services to the Armed Forces (SAF) facilitates communication between military personnel and their families during peace and war times. Using a worldwide emergency network, SAF assists in relaying important messages -- the news of births and deaths, family illnesses, and crisis situations, etc. -- to loved ones all over the globe.

In the past, through a program called Operation TroopCare, the Greater Buffalo community helped collect personal care items in bulk to be sent to troops stationed abroad. Currently, per the request of the US Government, items are no longer being collected by the American Red Cross for distribution to military personnel overseas.

When an emergency arises that requires the presence of the service member or his or her family, the Red Cross may provide access to an interest-free loan or a grant for travel expenses. These funds are made available by the military aid societies. They may be authorized for other emergencies as well and are disbursed on the basis of need. Referrals to specialized sources of help are also available to service members and their families.

For more information about SAF, please call (716) 886-7500.

Additional assistance can be found at Military Family Resources.