For nearly 136 years, the American Red Cross has provided shelter, food, and emotional support to victims of natural disaster, war, conflict, and unexpected hardship.

At Naval Hospital Jacksonville, American Red Cross volunteers contribute about 1,190 volunteer hours each month, and over 14,000 hours annually.

"Our tireless team of American Red Cross volunteers plays an invaluable role in providing essential assistance to our nearly 85,000 enrolled patients," said Capt. David Collins, NH Jacksonville commanding officer. "Their generous contributions are vital to our mission, and do not go unnoticed."

Since World War II, every president has designated March as "American Red Cross Month," to honor and celebrate the everyday heroes who help the American Red Cross fulfill its mission.

The Northeast Florida Chapter, which serves NH Jacksonville, has been providing help throughout the region since 1914, when first chartered by President Woodrow Wilson.

At any given time, NH Jacksonville American Red Cross volunteers can be found counseling patients on personal and family problems; helping with plans and arrangements for emergency or convalescent leave; getting background information from patients for use by medical staff in diagnosis and treatment; providing for the reception and comfort of relatives of the seriously ill; or serving as NH Jacksonville ambassadors -- lifting the spirits of patients, visitors and staff.

For more about volunteering, call the Northeast Florida Chapter at 904-358-8091 or NH Jacksonville's American Red Cross at 904-542-7525, or go online to www.redcross.org.

NH Jacksonville's priority since its founding in 1941 is to heal the nation's heroes and their families. The command is comprised of the Navy's third largest hospital and five branch health clinics across Florida and Georgia. Of its patient population -- 163,000 active and retired Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, guardsmen, and their families -- about 85,000 are enrolled with a primary care manager and Medical Home Port team at one of its facilities.

To find out more or download the command's mobile app, visit http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navalhospitaljax.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Hospital Jacksonville, visit http://www.navy.mil/.