Volunteering with Emirates Red Crescent
About Emirates Red Crescent
Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) is the UAE’s national Red Crescent society and the country’s best-known humanitarian organisation. It was founded in 1983 in Abu Dhabi, with the support of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and it is the UAE member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
ERC works both at home and abroad. Inside the UAE, it supports low-income families, orphans, people of determination and workers. Overseas, it delivers relief after disasters and conflicts and runs seasonal campaigns, such as its annual winter campaign, which provides clothing, heating and food parcels to vulnerable people.
What volunteers do
Volunteers are central to ERC’s work in the UAE. During Ramadan 2026, for example, ERC set up 120 iftar tents across the country, serving thousands of meals every day with the help of 800 volunteers, according to Gulf News. Many of those meals reach workers and others far from home.
At Eid, ERC distributes gifts, food supplies, clothing and sacrificial meat. Before Eid Al Adha in 2025, its campaign was expected to benefit more than 30,000 people across all seven emirates, as Aletihad reported, with credit given to volunteers nationwide.
The winter campaign is another big moment. When ERC launched it in December 2023 under the slogan “Be Their Warmth”, it stationed representatives at about 175 locations across the country, from shopping centres to markets, to collect donations, according to Aletihad. Aid that year included winter clothing, heating devices, firewood and health and food parcels for refugees, displaced families and others facing hard winters.
Typical volunteer tasks include preparing and handing out meals and aid parcels, helping at donation points and supporting community events. ERC’s volunteer department also runs groups for young people.
Who can volunteer
ERC sorts volunteers into three main groups, according to the UAE government portal u.ae:
- Student Crescent: for school students, from elementary to secondary level.
- University Crescent: for college and university students.
- General volunteers: for adults in the wider community.
Volunteers can take part individually or through ERC’s groups. Specific requirements depend on the role, so read the details when you register.
How to get involved
- Go to the Emirates Red Crescent volunteer sign-up page.
- Register and choose the volunteer category that fits you.
- Keep an eye on ERC campaigns, especially in Ramadan, at Eid and during the winter campaign, when volunteers are most needed.
- You can also look for ERC opportunities on volunteers.ae, the national volunteering platform, which logs your hours on your profile.
Other ways to help
ERC makes giving easy. Donations can be made through its website, bank deposits, smartphone apps, text messages, a toll-free number and cash donation boxes, and collection boxes are found in many major supermarkets. You can also donate clothes and non-perishable food at ERC branches.
During campaigns, ERC usually lets donors choose a specific purpose, such as a food parcel or winter clothing. That way you know exactly where your money goes.
Good to know before you go
- Training: ERC volunteers are part of a large, structured organisation. Expect briefings and clear instructions, and follow them.
- Dress: as a general guide, wear modest, comfortable clothing and closed shoes, and any volunteer vest or ID you are given.
- Dignity: respect the privacy of everyone you help. Do not photograph beneficiaries without consent.
- Peak seasons: Ramadan, Eid and the winter months are the busiest. Register early if you want to help then, as places at popular distributions can fill quickly.
- Families: the Student Crescent and University Crescent groups are a good way for young people to start volunteering in a structured setting, with an organisation that knows what it is doing.
- Golden Visa: the UAE recognises long-term humanitarian volunteering, and distinguished volunteers may qualify after at least five years of service or 500 volunteer hours, according to Khaleej Times.
Contact and links
- Website: emiratesrc.ae
- Volunteer sign-up: emiratesrc.ae/auth
- National platform: volunteers.ae
- Headquarters: Abu Dhabi, with offices across the UAE
For anyone who wants to volunteer with a large, well-organised humanitarian body, Emirates Red Crescent is the natural starting point.