Restoring Family Links
"As they searched for one other, Samuel’s family here in Grand Rapids was “convinced he was dead, but they had one unanswered question—how did he die?” They were overjoyed at the news and message from this brother still in Ethiopia." -- Read Samuel's full story here.
People in the United States have family ties that link them to nations all over the world. Whenever contact is broken - by warfare, natural disaster or other emergency - concern over the fate of loved ones takes a powerful emotional toll. As part of its mission as a humanitarian organization, the American Red Cross has restored peace of mind for thousands of people by locating loved ones, relaying messages between relatives who have no other way to communicate, assisting in the reunion of family members and helping families find the additional assistance they need.
Services provided by the American Red Cross and the International Movement include:
- Locating missing loved ones when the separation is due to armed conflict or disaster
- Sending Red Cross Messages between separated family members—civilians, prisoners of war, and political detainees
- Obtaining information about the fate of civilians, including those separated during the Holocaust & World War II
- Securing ICRC travel documents for people who have been offered permanent resettlement
- Providing information and referral services
American Red Cross International Family Tracing Services accepts tracing cases and traces sought persons when:
- Families have been separated as a result of either armed conflict or disaster.
- As much as possible, families should have tried normal channels of communication before requesting Red Cross tracing services.
- The family member making the inquiry provides essential information on the sought person.
- The family member making the inquiry is a close family relative, who has been in direct contact with the sought person before the conflict or disaster occurred.
All tracing services by the American Red Cross are completely free of charge.
For more information, please contact:
Chip Kragt
Associate Director of Emergency Services
(616) 456-8661 ext. 3301
ckragt@ggr.redcross.org
