Cruz Roja Costarricense seeks donations amid financial crisis

The Costa Rican Red Cross has launched the ‘Colecta que Salva Vidas’ (Life-Saving Collection) campaign to solicit donations from individuals and businesses to sustain its emergency, rescue, and humanitarian services.

The institution is facing significant financial difficulties, with 66 of its 134 auxiliary committees experiencing economic problems. While no immediate closures are planned, the organization warned that a lack of sustainable income could force some committees to reduce services in the medium term. This follows a recent decision by the Legislative Assembly to reject a bill that would have included Red Cross public fund contracts within the exceptions of the General Public Procurement Law.

Locally, the Ciudad Quesada Auxiliary Committee has issued an urgent plea to maintain operations for more than 85,000 residents across six districts, including La Palmera, Buena Vista, Florencia, La Tigra, and San Lorenzo. The committee aims to secure resources to prevent the closure of its local operations.