Greater New York Red Cross Offers Thanks to Community

Time and again throughout the year, we see Red Cross disaster responders working in the cold, or the rain, or in blazing heat, aiding anywhere from a handful of residents to hundreds of individuals and families who are fleeing horrific fires, floods or building collapses. And always, our responders remain on the scene as long as necessary to provide comfort and assistance to all in need.

 

What is most amazing is that the majority of these responders are volunteers—local residents giving of themselves to help their fellow New Yorkers in need. In fact, an astounding 95 percent of the Greater New York Red Cross workforce is made up of volunteers.

 

Their tireless efforts allow us to carry out our lifesaving mission, as does the deep commitment of our donors, our employees and our stalwart partners. These include local fire departments, police departments, and offices of emergency management as well as the innumerable community-based organizations, companies, houses of worship and elected officials that have meant so much to our region over this past year.

 

We feel privileged to have seen the best in our fellow New Yorkers in 2013, a year in which tens of thousands of New Yorkers continued to suffer from the effects of Superstorm Sandy, and thousands more were displaced by “everyday” disasters, including home fires, floods and building collapses.

 

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to these individuals and organizations whose passion, kindness and community spirit have helped so many recover from tragedy.  

                                                                                

We send an enormous thank you to all those who continue to make our humanitarian work possible, as well as our best wishes for a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

 

Sincerely,

Josh Lockwood

Regional Chief Executive Officer

American Red Cross Greater New York Region