Frequently Asked Questions about using the site

How can I join ARCRA?

What is different about the new ARCRA site?

How do I log into the new ARCRA website?

I logged on to the site but am unable to access the membership directory and other pages?

How do I change my password?

What can I find in the drop down list of options at the end of the banner?

How can I find a colleague's contact information?

How do I access my membership profile?

How do I update my contact information in the directory?

What privacy settings did ARCRA put in place on the members only pages?

How do I control the privacy settings to limit access to my contact information?

How can I renew my ARCRA membership online? 

Can I still send in a check to join or renew my membership?

Why am I getting a renewal notice if I paid my annual membership already?

If I am currently an annual ARCRA member can I upgrade to Lifetime Membership?

Why am I getting multiple emails to renew my ARCRA membership?

What happens if I let my ARCRA membership lapse

How can I find a Group of Red Cross Retirees in my area?

How do I get the eNewsletters sent to my e-mail account?

How can I join ARCRA?

There are two ways you can join ARCRA.  To join online you must provide an email address.  If you do not have an email address, please follow Option #2.
Join Option #1.  To join online, click on the Join/Renew tab on the ARCRA Home page.  Provide your email address and complete the membership profile.  Click on the confirm button.  You can charge your membership dues using a credit card - American Express, Master Card or Visa - using Affinipay, the secure online payment process.  You will be taken to the invoices and payments page where you will use a credit card to pay the membership dues.  You can also send a check and a copy of the invoice generated within the ARCRA website after you have signed up to join.  Mail the invoice copy and a check to the ARCRA at PO Box 1581 Vienna VA 22180.
Join Option #2.  If you do not have an email address contact the ARCRA office to have a Membership Form sent to you. Contact ARCRA at 202-303-8779 or ARCRA@redcross.org.
Until the membership payment is processed, a balance notification will appear on your membership profile and you will not be able to access the Members Only site.  Members with an email address will get an email confirmation of your payment.

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On the new ARCRA website you can view Member-Only content and interact with other members through the member directory. You can also perform self-service functions such as updating your profile, paying invoices, and renewing your membership.  The new ARCRA site is hosted by Wild Apricot, a membership management system and website host. When you first log into the ARCRA website, you will be required to accept Wild Apricot's terms of use before proceeding.

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The ARCRA website address is www.arcretireeassoc.org.  While some of the information on the site is public, you have to log into your ARCRA member account if you want to access “Members-Only” pages on your ARCRA site, or if you want to perform self-service functions such as updating your address, checking your membership status or paying membership dues online. Current members are paid Annual Members for 2017 and Lifetime Members.  

 The new ARCRA site is hosted by Wild Apricot, our new membership management system and website host.  When you first log into the ARCRA, you will be required to accept Wild Apricot's terms of use before proceeding.

For all new ARCRA members, a member profile is created for you from the information that you supply when you click on the Join/Renew tab and complete the online Membership Form with your credit card dues payment or from the membership form or invoice that you send in with your check for membership dues.  If you have entered an email address, a welcome email is sent to you when you join.

On the home page of the ARCRA site, click the Login link that leads to a login page. Passwords are automatically generated and emailed by the system when someone creates an account by signing up as a member or event attendee at the ARCRA web site.  If you are a current ARCRA member and this is your first time accessing the system, please use the Forgot password feature and you will be emailed instructions on how to login.  Also click the Forgot password link next to the Login button if you cannot remember you password or want to change your password.  If you cannot login, please send an email to ARCRA @redcross.org and we will make sure that your current email address is listed with your membership account.

 After you log in, a message will appear in the bottom right corner if your membership is lapsed or within a week of your renewal date. You can click on either link to resolve the corresponding issue.

If you were a current ARCRA member prior to February 2016, your membership date listed is February 2016 since that was the date we imported current members to the new database. The date cannot be changed.  Your past membership data is recorded on the administrative side of the database. If you paid your dues after February 2016, the date will be the date your payment was recorded.

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On the new ARCRA website you can view Member-Only content and interact with other members through the member directory. You can also perform self-service functions such as updating your profile, paying invoices, and renewing your membership.  The new ARCRA site is hosted by Wild Apricot, a membership management system and website host. When you first log into the ARCRA website, you will be required to accept Wild Apricot's terms of use before proceeding.

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If you are not able to access the membership directory and “Members-Only” pages, your membership may have lapsed as you may not have paid for the current calendar year. You will still be able to log into the site, access the general public areas of the site, and use the online dues system to renew your membership. After you log in, a message will appear in the bottom right corner if your membership is lapsed or within a week of your renewal date. You can click on either link to resolve the corresponding issue. If your membership has lapsed, you can renew your membership online with a credit card to gain full access to all parts of the ARCRA website. Contact the ARCRA administrator at ADMIN@ARCRETIREEASSOC.ORG if you need assistance in renewing your membership.

Until you renew your membership you will still be able to log into the site and: 
Request a password
View the general website but not the Members Only sections
Renew your membership

• Either pay online with your credit card, or
  
• Request an invoice to print and  mail with a check to the ARCRA at PO Box 1581 Vienna VA 22180.
  

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Log into the ARCRA website using your email address and password and click on the Change password link that appears below or beside the link to your profile after you log in.  On the screen that appears, enter your current password, then the new password, and the new password again for confirmation.  

Password requirements 

• Minimum of 7 characters
  
• Maximum of 50 characters
  
• Any combination of letters, numbers and characters (except spaces)
  

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In order to find the full list of additional option tabs, from the Home screen click on the list symbol (three bars) on the right side of the central navigation bar in the orange banner with the red arrow pointing down to it. The drop down list offers the following options to choose from: Contact, Group Contacts, ARC Benefits, Directory, Discounts, News, and News Archive. 

If you are unable to see the full list, check to see if your screen is set to the enlarged view.  If it is, and you still don’t see the full list, scroll down the screen so the option tab is near the top of your screen, then click on it for the drop down tab and all seven topics should be listed. 

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There are additional options on the list: 

Contact: Administrator and office contact information, name of our Webmaster, and our Officers’ names. Click on the ARCRA email address or the name of each individual and you will be directed to your personal email box prepared with the email address for your completion. 

Group Contacts: Group contact information is listed based on the state in which there is an active Group. Select the state from the list. At the end of the states is a list of the ARCRA Regional Representatives and their contact information. 

Group Contacts: Group contact information is listed based on the state in which there is an active Group. Select the state from the list. At the end of the states is a list of the ARCRA Regional Representatives and their contact information. 

ARC Benefits: provides information on the  ARC Benefits Center, The Retiree Connection, and The ARCRA Website Forums (for future use TBD.)  Contact information is provided within each section.

Directory: provides information on all current, active members (paid dues for current year or lifetime). The contact information displayed in the directory is managed by the member in their profile. 

Discounts: information on discounts and the perkspot.com Internet address link where Red Cross employees and retirees can access discounts on products and services 

News: recent ARCRA and ARC news 

News Archives: past issues of The Retiree print newsletters, eNewsletters and The ARC Retiree Reports are listed by issue date 

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Current, active members can use the Member Directory to see a list of other current, active ARCRA members, search for members, and view their profiles. Only ARCRA current, active members are listed in this directory. On the far right of the home page banner, click on the list symbol (three bars) and then select Directory from the list. Enter the name of the person you are looking for in the Search box and the name of the person will automatically appear below. If you only enter the last name, multiple member listings within the directory may display. Select the member's profile you wish to review (subject to their privacy settings).  You can send an email message to that member by clicking on the Send Message button.  

NOTE: There is an ARC Alumni Directory which has a listing for all benefit recipients who have not “opted out” of communications.  The ARC Alumni Directory is maintained by the Benefits Service Center in the benefits section of the ARC website. It is updated twice annually. Contact the Benefits Center on the website or call 1-877-860-7526 to add, update or remove your personal information. Changes made on the ARCRA website do not update the ARC Alumni Directory. 

After you log into the ARC Benefits website from the Menu list, select the “Savings & Retirement” tab, then select “My Account Essentials,” then “Plan Information” and then “Alumni Directory” under “What’s New.” To bring up a search bar once the Alumni Directory loads, select the Adobe icon that appears when you float your cursor near the bottom of the page. If using Windows 10, select the “more options,” either three periods or three bars, for the options and select “find.” (Depending on your IOS version and MAC or Windows version, this access to the search box may appear either at the top of your screen or the bottom of your screen.) It will take a few seconds to load on your screen. By entering “Last Name, First Name” the search will take you directly to the name you are seeking. Otherwise, it will find every occurrence of the letter combination in the directory. 

If you want to do extensive searches for retirees in your area in the Benefits list, you can download the entire file of all retirees receiving benefits (who did not “opt out”) to your computer in seconds to perform your searches. ARCRA provides quarterly lists of new retirees and current members each quarter to the ARCRA Regional Representatives and the Group contacts, so you may wish to contact one of them instead. Click on Groups on the Home page and then Click Here for Group Contact Details to find the contact information.  

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To access your membership profile, log into the website using your email and password.  Then click on your name in the top navigation bar.  Then click on the Edit profile button to review and update the information listed. For example, to change your email address.  

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Current, active members can access their profile by logging into the ARCRA site. Once logged in, click on your name in the top navigation bar. Clicking this link will take you to your profile page. You will see key profile information including membership level - annual with the expiration date or lifetime, name, email, phone, and contact data.  To update the profile, click on the Edit profile button.  After you have updated your information click on the Save button. Click on My directory profile next to the Edit profile button to preview how your profile is displayed to others based on your privacy settings. 

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What privacy settings did ARCRA put in place on the members only pages?   

Member information in the membership directory is only visible to other current, active ARCRA members.  All members will be able to see your name, city and state where you live, and your email address. You can adjust the privacy settings to let other members see your full address, phone, and photo album by changing your personal privacy settings.  

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How do I control the privacy settings to limit access to my contact information?  

The Privacy tab allows a member to specify which fields are visible to everyone, other members, or hidden from everyone. These settings apply to your listing in the member directory and on your directory profile page.  If a lock icon appears beside a field, the member cannot change the privacy setting for that field. 

After logging into the website, click on your name on the upper navigation bar, click on the Edit profile button, and then click on the Privacy tab. You can control whether your profile is viewable by current, active members, and if so, which fields are viewable. For example, if you want others to see your street address you can add that field from your listing to your profile by clicking on the button on the address line under the members column. 

If you set your profile to private – by unchecking the Show profile to others option in your profile in the Edit view – you won't appear in the member directory at all and may miss communications from friends or colleagues. 

After saving your changes at the bottom of the page, click on My directory profile, next to the Edit button, to preview how your profile will now be displayed to others based on your privacy settings.

 

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There are two ways you can renew your membership online using a credit card.  Stripe is the secure online processing service used by ARCRA which allows payment by American Express, MasterCard or Visa.

Renewal Option #1. A membership renewal notice and/or invoice will be automatically emailed to you before your annual membership renewal date. ARCRA membership operates an anniversary, so you will receive and emailed renewal notice the month before your membership expires.  Members who joined ARCRA before 2016 have a renewal date of January 1.  Within the renewal notice, you can click the link to log into your ARCRA account.  

Within the invoice, you can click the View invoice online link to view and pay the invoice with a credit card online without logging in.  

Renewal Option #2. You can also renew your membership from your member profile on the ARCRA site.  To view your member profile, log into the ARCRA site and click the link to your member profile. The link will appear as your name or as View profile.  

To renew your membership from your member profile, click the Renew button on your Profile page. You will have the option of renewing for 1 ($30) year or selecting a Lifetime Membership ($275).  

After you click the Renew button, you can review and update your membership details, then click the Update and next button. Then, you click the Confirm button to confirm the renewal request.  You will be taken to the Invoices and payments page where you can use a credit card to pay for the invoice for the renewal. 

Until the payment is made, a Balance due notification will be shown on the notification bar and a message will be displayed on your member profile.  

You will also get an email confirmation of your payment once processed.  

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The ARCRA membership year is based on the anniversary date of when you first joined ARCRA.  For members who joined prior to 2016, your membership anniversary date if January 1.  Individual renewal notices are sent to all Annual Members who have not already paid their membership dues for the upcoming year in the month before you anniversary date.  So, for example, if your membership anniversary date is January 1 you will receive renewal reminders in December. 

Current, active members will be able to review their membership status in their profile and make membership renewal payments online when they are due. Members without email accounts will continue to receive a mailed renewal notice.Annual Members will receive their first renewal notice in December effective for the 2017 calendar year.

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Yes, when you renew your annual ARCRA membership, you will have the option of renewing for 1 ($30), 2 ($60), or 3 ($90) years, or selecting a Lifetime Membership.  Many Annual Members upgrade to a Lifetime Membership because they value the eNewsletter and other benefits provided by ARCRA.  Others become Lifetime Members because it is easier, more cost effective to only pay once, and they don’t worry  that their annual membership is current.   Lifetime Members pay a one-time dues fee of $275 and their membership cannot lapse.

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We know that our members are busy and may forget to renew their membership; we provide reminders to be helpful. Annual Members who have not yet renewed for a new calendar year will receive several renewal reminders beginning in the month before their annual membership expires. Naturally, the reminders will stop when dues are received. Some Annual Members opt to pay 2 or 3 years in advance while others have decided to upgrade to a Lifetime Membership to avoid renewing their ARCRA membership every year.

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Annual members who let their membership lapse as a result of non-payment of annual membership dues will no longer be able to access the “Members-Only” section of the website and will not receive the monthly eNewsletter or The Retiree newsletter.  A lapsed member can renew their annual membership at any time by paying their annual membership dues online or by sending a check and Membership Form or a copy of the invoice generated online to the ARCRA at PO Box 1581 Vienna VA 22180.  Lifetime members pay a one-time dues fee of $275 and their membership cannot lapse.

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Throughout the United States, currently there are twenty-one regional, statewide or local retiree Groups affiliated with ARCRA.  Among these Groups, many prefer informal structures and meet periodically for purely social purposes while others have more formal structures with bylaws, multi-purpose meetings, newsletters, and that go on year round. Many are comprised of a small number of retirees while others have more. ARCRA appreciates and supports the wide variety of approaches provided each Group meets Minimum Standards of Affiliation. More information regarding our Groups, including contact information and specifics about the next meeting, can be found at the Groups tab on the website Home page

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A monthly eNewsletter will be sent out to all members with an email account listed in their membership profile.  If you have an email address but are not receiving the eNewsletter, check you membership profile to make sure that your email address is listed in your profile.  If your email address is not listed, send an email to admin@arcretireeassoc.org, we will add your email address, and you will get the next eNewsletter at the end of the month.  If your email address is listed in your profile, check your email account and make sure the americanredcrossretirees.wildapricot is not listed as scam or clutter.  From your member profile, you can unsubscribe from different kinds of emails. To do so, click the Email subscriptions tab within your member profile then click the Edit profile button.  When you first join, you will have event notifications and email blasts turned on.  You can now check or uncheck the types of emails you do or don’t want to receive.

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