Red Cross Wins Top Web Award for Spanish-Language Site

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Arroba de Oro, which annually recognizes top Web sites from across Latin America, awarded the American Red Cross its highest honor on Friday, Oct. 13, at a ceremony in Los Angeles.

The grand prize, which comes with a $75,000 prize, is one of two honors that the Red Cross claimed this year. In addition to the top honor, Cruzrojaamericana.org also garnered "best governmental or non-profit site." Cruzrojaamericana.org is the newly launched, national Spanish-language Web site of the American Red Cross.

The site, not a translated version, but created independent of the organization's English-language site, speaks directly to the unique needs of Hispanics in the United States. With its simple design and friendly interface, the site provides visitors with free guidance on preparing for emergencies, staying safe in case of a disaster, donating blood, learning lifesaving skills and other critical information. Prior to the August 2005 launch of Cruzrojaamericana.org, the Red Cross translated content from its English- language site into a limited Spanish sitelet hosted on Redcross.org. Working with Web vendor FNGWeb, the Red Cross created Cruzrojaamericana.org to better serve the vast and growing Hispanic community in the United States.

"It wasn't enough to translate English content and post it on Redcross.org," said Ana R. Correa, Sr. Officer Hispanic Outreach for the American Red Cross. "We wanted an independent site that shared all of our information in the language and style that would really speak to Hispanics in this country. Cruzrojaamericana.org achieves this goal."

In addition to Cruzrojaamericana.org, the Red Cross and FNGWeb are developing a program for local Red Cross chapters to have customized Spanish language sites that highlight local classes, resources and services.

"Working with the American Red Cross to provide an easy, friendly venue for its vital information and services to the Hispanic community has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my professional career," said FNGWeb CEO Juan Bernal.

Future plans for Cruzrojaamericana.org include additional celebrity involvement, improved localized content and more downloadable, easy-to-use documents such as a checklist for emergency supplies.