Holding donation boxes, volunteers from the LebaneseRed Cross stood in the streets for hours, hoping to collect enough money for the organization to continue its 70-year-old relief mission. Wide smiles on their faces, volunteers courted drivers and pedestrians with the line: “We hope you won’t need us.” But the humanitarian message that lies at the core of LRC’s work is at risk, as funding shortages threaten its ability to provide services. The LRC says the deficit, exacerbated by recent regional turmoil, will affect its capabilities. Established in 1945, the LRC has long provided vital services to those in need. On May 8, World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, the LRC launched its 2015 fundraising campaign with the slogan “It stands by you … Stand by it.” The group depends on 7,000 volunteers, distributed across various centers around the country. The emergency and ambulance team, constituted of 2,700 volunteers, administers first aid and transfers emergency cases to hospitals. Its volunteers work in 46 emergency centers and four operation rooms. The Red Cross also invests heavily in child services, with 1,400 of its volunteers working in youth centers. In 2014, the LRC said 244,310 missions were carried out by emergency and ambulance teams, and another 451,381 by medical and social service workers. The group also distributed 27,057 units of blood. The ongoing Syrian crisis has received a large proportion of the organization’s services, according to an LRC official. “The LRC also took care of relief operations in 2014 … for Syrians, as a result of the Syrian crisis. Around 150,000 refugees benefited from relief operations,” Ayad Mounzer, director of public relations and communication at LRC, told The Daily Star. “Our humanitarian missions … not [just] for Lebanese society, but for all of those on Lebanese territories, cost us LL28 billion in 2014.” The LRC’s budget for 2015 remains unclear, as the organization’s workload depends on how much support it receives. “If our cost in 2014 was LL28 billion, the cost will not decrease [in 2015],” Mounzer said. “The money has finished, we don’t have any money left.” The LRC’s work has been directly affected by regional instability. From the influx of Syrian refugees, to the numerous bombings and security incidents in the country, the past few years have been challenging, pushing the group’s resources to the limit. This point was echoed by LRC President Suzanne Oueiss during a news conference last week. “We cannot ignore what this influx of refugees confront: our responsibility as a humanitarian society to work with neutrality, impartiality and independence,” Oueiss said. The price of meeting this challenge continues to increase, Mounzer added. “For four years, the cost has been rising. This is because of the crises that are surrounding us.” Although the LRC receives support from the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and the Health Ministry, the lack of adequate funding remains a major issue. There is no clear way in which the LRC can assess how much money it requires to make it through 2015, according to Mounzer, who said the amount is based on need. “People are living an economic reality that we can’t turn a blind eye to.” Economic difficulties have prompted many to resort to using the LRC’s services, many of which are free of cost. “This is increasing our responsibility and … demand for our services, forcing us to look for constant sources of funding.” Mounzer urged everyone capable of supporting the LRC, wherever they are, to do so, and said there are a number of ways people can donate. Would-be donors can visit or call their local LRC center, visit www.supportlrc.org, or communicate with the LRC’s general administration on Spears Street for more information. “We will continue to fall short,” Mounzer said. “We will not be able to 100 percent, our aim is 80 percent, but still we can’t get there. We [want] people to … use the LRC as a bridge between those who are capable and the people in need.” The Daily Star