In Case You Missed It - May 30

Red Crossers at the Intrepid over Memorial Day Weekend. (Photo: Brett Whysel)

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 49 adults and 14 children following 32 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review


For Memorial Day weekend, the Greater NY Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) team was exceptionally active with the following activities:

• Pet Therapy Volunteers from Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause and volunteers from Hunter College were at the Intrepid on both Saturday and Sunday. Visitors signed "Thank you for serving" cards to be distributed to local VA hospitals!
• The SAF team also assisted St. Alban's VA with their visit to the Intrepid. 
• Early Saturday Morning at the Bronx VA, the Bronx Disaster Action Team served breakfast to over 60 Veterans and their family members before they headed out to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington. 
• The Greater NY Red Cross SAF department kicked off Memorial Day activities at the Northport VA Medical Center with an Ice Cream Social for Veterans!
• Rounding out the weekend, the Red Cross Outreach team had a booth at the Jones Beach Air Show.
• On Thursday, Red Cross volunteers were with Greenwich Emergency Officials following a fire that displaced over nine families. 
• Funmi Afonja, Senior Director at S&P Global, joined the Red Cross to share her life lessons of perseverance, empathy & kindness.
• On Wednesday, Red Cross colleagues from the Northeast Division and Greater New York participating in FEMA's Managing Spontaneous Volunteers during a Disaster.
• On Tuesday the Red Cross was on the scene of a three-alarm fire, assisting eight families who were displaced.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• May 31 & June 1: Red Cross blood drive: 2 to 7pm: 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan. Schedule an appointment to donate today. 
• June 10: The American Red Cross Greater New York Full-Scale Exercise 2017 is a regional opportunity to test and train our current plans, policies, and procedures for serving our clients in a large-scale Disaster Relief Operation. We are looking for volunteer actors to play the roles as survivors in a shelter. Please complete this form if you are interested in participating in the Full-Scale Exercise as an actor.
• June 15: The American Red Cross on Long Island will celebrate 100 years of service to the Long Island community and recognize heroes from the community who embody the spirit of the Red Cross at its Centennial Celebration Gala on June 15, 2017, at the Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, NY.
• Aug 22-27: Do you like to volunteer? Do you like golf? If so, have we got an opportunity for you! Sign up today to volunteer at THE NORTHERN TRUST at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, NY 8/22-8/27. For $75 you gain daily access to the tournament for you and a guest, a logoed polo shirt & baseball cap, and much more. Plus, your efforts will support the mission of the American Red Cross. Learn more here.

In Case You Missed It - May 22

American Red Cross Greater NY provided assistance to the NYRR Airbnb Brooklyn Half Marathon. (Photo: Oonagh Turrito)

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 61 adults and 17 children following 44 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review

• Early Sunday morning Red Cross teams provided temporary housing and emergency relief to several families displaced by a multiple-alarm fire on Staten Island. 
• On Saturday morning our LI Red Cross CEO Neela M Lockel was on 103.9FM with volunteer Craig Cooper to discuss the Long Island Red Cross and its Centennial events. 
• On Saturday the Red Cross Home Fire team on Long Island installed over 90 smoke alarms. 
• On Saturday the Red Cross provided first aid assistance at the NYRR Airbnb Brooklyn Half Marathon. 
• On Friday, long-time Service to the Armed Forces volunteers Doreen Brienza and Margaret Sukhram attended the Northport VA "Stand Down" resource fair and handed out over 200 "Totes of Hope" kits to veterans!
• Earlier in the week the American Red Cross Metro New York North Chapter posted a video about the Hero Award winners—Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos—highlighting their inspiring efforts to stop a terrorist aboard a train bound for Paris from Brussels in late 2015. 
• On Thursday our Director of Government and Community Relations John Waldman shared what it was like to take an all-day certification course in Adult & Pediatric First Aid. Find classes near you! 
• On Wednesday Red Cross shared its customized volunteering quiz. Ever wonder what volunteer position is right for you? Take our quiz to find out! 
• On Tuesday the Ikea on Long Island distributed Care Kits to the Red Cross to be given to local residents left homeless by disasters. 
• We highlighted the Red Cross Hero Care app, where members of the military, veterans & their families can access important resources (iOS/ Android.) 
• Monday was International Water Safety Day and the Red Cross provided safety tips from our partner, Diversity in Aquatics.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• May 19, 23, 25: Red Cross blood drive: 2 to 7pm: 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan. Schedule an appointment to donate today. 
• June 10: The 2017 Full-Scale Exercise, American Red Cross in Greater New York's regional opportunity to test and train our current plans, policies, and procedures for serving our clients in a large-scale Disaster Relief Operation. We are looking for volunteer actors to play the roles as survivors in a shelter. Please complete this form if you are interested in participating in the Full-Scale Exercise as an actor. 
• June 15: The American Red Cross on Long Island will celebrate 100 years of service to the Long Island community and recognize heroes from the community who embody the spirit of the Red Cross at its Centennial Celebration Gala on June 15, 2017, at the Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, NY. 
• Aug 22-27: Do you like to volunteer? Do you like golf? If so, have we got an opportunity for you! Sign up today to volunteer at THE NORTHERN TRUST at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, NY 8/22-8/27. For $75 you gain daily access to the tournament for you and a guest, a logoed polo shirt & baseball cap, and much more. Plus, your efforts will support the mission of the American Red Cross. Learn more here.

In Case You Missed It - May 15

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 89 adults and 41 children following 49 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review

• Not only were our volunteers making Staten Island safer by installing free smoke alarms on Saturday, but we also got to surprise one of our finest volunteers Vivian Moy with a birthday cake!
• On Friday, the Red Cross recognized our volunteers from West Point for their outstanding work. 
• In celebrating World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day this past Monday, May 8, we posted this special message from our CEO on our blog. 
• During National Nurses Week from May 6 to 12, the Greater New York Red Cross also celebrated the contributions of more than 20,000 nurses and nursing students throughout the United States who serve the Red Cross in many different capacities. We highlighted some of their efforts on our blog here.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• May 16, 17, 19: Red Cross blood drive: 2 to 7pm: 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan. Schedule an appointment to donate today. 
• June 10: The 2017 Full-Scale Exercise American Red Cross of Greater New York's regional opportunity to test and train to our current plans, policies, and procedures for serving our clients in a large-scale Disaster Relief Operation. We are looking for volunteer actors to play the roles as survivors in a shelter. Please complete this form if you are interested in participating in the Full-Scale Exercise as an actor. 
• June 15: The American Red Cross on Long Island will celebrate 100 years of service to the Long Island community and recognize heroes from the community who embody the spirit of the Red Cross at its Centennial Celebration Gala on June 15, 2017, at the Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, NY. 
• Aug 22-27: Do you like to volunteer? Do you like golf? If so, have we got an opportunity for you! Sign up today to volunteer at THE NORTHERN TRUST at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, NY 8/22-8/27. For $75 you gain daily access to the tournament for you and a guest, a logoed polo shirt & baseball cap, and much more. Plus, your efforts will support the mission of the American Red Cross. Learn more here.

In Case You Missed It - May 8

Red Cross Volunteers at the NBC NY Health & Wellness Expo. (Photo: DianeConcannon)

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 86 adults and 42 children following 38 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review

• On Saturday, the Greater New York joined New Jersey Red Crossers to help make families safer at the NBC New York’s Health & Fitness Expo at MetLife Stadium.
• Local volunteer Jason Judd is among several local Red Crossers in Missouri helping people impacted by major flooding. 
• Metro NY North Red Crossers throughout the region gathered in Orange County on Saturday for a wonderful day of 'All Activity Recruitment Training' which included great discussions and training scenarios. 
• On Thursday, MMC Global and Red Cross NY worked together to digitally map 2,400 vulnerable buildings in Indonesia as part of the Missing Maps Project 
• On Wednesday the Long Island Red Cross announced their Honorees for the Long Island Centennial Celebration!
• Long Island Red Cross partner PSEG Long Island put out a press release with regards to the previous week’s volunteer event in honor of National Volunteer Week.
• Metro New York North Red Cross posted a video recognizing J.R. Martinez, who received the 2017 Exceptional Service Award at the Red and White Ball for his inspiring story of survival and perseverance.
• As part of the ongoing Long Island Red Cross Centennial Celebration, we give thanks to the historical Conklin House Society in Babylon for inviting us to participate in their Afternoon Tea event that took place at the original Red Cross Babylon Chapter House.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• May 10, 12,15: Red Cross blood drive: 2 to 7pm: 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan. Schedule an appointment to donate today. 
• May 13: The Red Cross will be in the Staten Island communities of St. George, West Brighton, Todt Hill, Arrochar, Dongan Hills, and South Beach to install free smoke alarms. The Staten Island Advance announced the event on their website. The #GetAlarmedNYC Program will also be in Corona and Elmhurst, Queens. Volunteer to help out, or sign up to get a free smoke alarm installed in your home. 
• Aug 22-27: Do you like to volunteer? Do you like golf? If so, have we got an opportunity for you! Sign up today to volunteer at THE NORTHERN TRUST at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, NY 8/22-8/27. For $75 you gain daily access to the tournament for you and a guest, a logoed polo shirt & baseball cap, and much more. Plus, your efforts will support the mission of the American Red Cross. Learn more here.

Celebrating Red Cross Nurses

The coveted Nurses Pin is worn by more than 20,000
Red Cross Nurses across the country.

by Stan Frank

Red Cross nurses during World War I,
World War II and student nurses today.

During National Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2017, the American Red Cross in Greater New York is celebrating the contributions of more than 20,000 nurses and nursing students throughout the United States who serve the Red Cross in many different capacities.

The Red Cross Nursing Service was established in 1909 by Jane Delano, who honed her nursing skills in 1888, helping victims of yellow fever, and in 1898 treating soldiers during the Spanish-American War. As the first president of the National Committee of the Red Cross Nursing Service, she is credited with organizing for disaster relief and training more than 8000 registered nurses by the time the United States entered World War I in 1917.

Debbie Hayden, RN

In the Greater New York Region, Debbie Hayden, RN, serves as Regional Manager for Health Services, leading over 150 health volunteers, including nurses, doctors, physicians assistants, paramedics, EMTs, and nursing students across New York City, the Lower Hudson Valley, and Long Island. She joined the Red Cross as a volunteer in 2010 and was the Long Island Health Services lead starting in 2012. A seasoned veteran, Debbie has been deployed on more than 20 nationally-declared disasters including Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Sandy both of which struck in the New York region.

Depending on the nature of a disaster or emergency, Debbie uses the computerized Red Cross Client Assistance System (CAS 2.0) to communicate with nurses and other medical personnel and alert them to the need for assistance. Disaster health service workers are all part of Disaster Action Teams who work together in an emergency. Nurses are trained to work at the scene of a disaster or at a disaster shelter.

Among the varied services nurses provide are the following:

• Assess the overall physical, mental and spiritual needs of disaster victims
• Provide assistance or care for disaster-related unmet health needs through Disaster Health Services casework 
• Obtain information about victims’ needs for medication or medical equipment 
• Provide assistance to replace medications, medical supplies, eyeglasses, drug prescriptions, etc. 
• Refer victims to the appropriate resources for medical or financial assistance

In addition to providing disaster services, Red Cross nurses also serve in a wide variety of roles within the Red Cross, including in management and supervisory positions, as teachers, and as representatives of the Red Cross with local and national community partners.

Thank you to all of the Red Cross Nurses who help us prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters every day!

To learn more about the Red Cross and Red Cross nursing opportunities, visit www.redcross.org/support/volunteer/nurses

Symbols of Hope

By Josh Lockwood, Regional CEO, American Red Cross in Greater NY

We see the images daily on TV and online—communities around the world stricken by disaster, families in desperate need of food, medical care, shelter and hope. Just as these sights of war, natural disasters and health emergencies have become all too common, so too are those ubiquitous Red Cross and Red Crescent vests worn by the heroes who give of themselves to deliver relief.

We saw them following terrorist attacks in Belgium, France and Turkey; we see them in the midst of war in Syria; we saw them after tragic mudslides in Peru and Colombia; we saw them streaming into communities after Hurricane Matthew ran its course last fall; and we see them locally after fires ravage people’s homes every day here in Greater NY.

Red Cross and Red Crescent (depending on the country) volunteers offer support following some of the most difficult moments imaginable in just about every corner of the globe. The exact assistance they provide may vary depending on the specific needs on the ground and on the local context, but the essence of what they do is the same: they deliver urgent relief to the most vulnerable following disasters large and small.

Greater New York volunteers proudly represent this global humanitarian network in NYC, Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley and deliver vital services to those who need it most. Our volunteers quietly step in to provide needed support and services to help families and communities find hope and recovery.

As we celebrate World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day today May 8 (the birthday of Henry Dunant, the founder of our global Movement), we salute all volunteers who strive to alleviate suffering and save lives.

Photos:
Upper left: Aleppo; Syria, photo credit: Syrian Arab Red Crescent
Upper right: Putumayo; Colombia, Photo credit: Colombia Red Cross
Lower left: Charleston, West Virginia; Photo credit: Daniel Cima
Lower right: Les Cayes, Haiti; Photo credit: Jethro J. Sérémé

In Case You Missed It - May 1

Honoring the Paris Train Attack Heroes at the Red and White Ball.

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 84 adults and 41 children following 49 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review

• On Saturday the Metro New York North Red Cross held its annual Red and White Ball emceed by Voice contestant and Army Staff Sergeant Jeremy Gaynor (who also performed). Highlights of the night included recognizing J.R. Martinez and the Paris Train Heroes for their inspirational stories.
• On Sunday, the Staten Island Disaster Action Team was out in the community supporting the March of Dimes walk. 
• On Friday, we held a special live-streamed panel with the Paris Train Heroes to discuss their harrowing experience in late 2015. Watch the full live-stream here. 
• Thanks to Viacom for choosing to volunteer with us on their Community Day by installing smoke alarms in West Harlem alongside our #GetAlarmedNYC team. 
• To promote Red Cross Giving Day, our volunteers stood out in the rain on the Today Show Plaza during the morning broadcast to help spread the word and cheer on the Red Cross. 
• A few days after the tragic fire in Queens Village, Red Cross volunteers were still comforting family members and installing free smoke alarms in the area. 
• On Tuesday, Red Cross and FEMA took part in a drill together as part of a warm-up to our annual full-scale exercise in June. 
• The Long Island Red Cross provided canteen support for mourners at the wake of fallen FDNY Firefighter William Tolley in Bethpage, N.Y. 
• On Monday, Greater NY Red Cross instructor extraordinaire and actress Lipica Shah appeared the Dr. Oz show. The segment was taped the week prior. Watch the CPR/AED segments here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 
• Thank you to PSEG Long Island for helping us to make more than 40 families in Stonybrook safer by installing free smoke alarms. 
• We started off the week teaching disaster preparedness to 800+ kids at P.S. 105 via our Pillowcase Project program. NY1’s Roger Clark filed this amazing report.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• May 2, 4, 5, 8: Red Cross blood drive: 2 to 7pm: 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan. Schedule an appointment to donate today. 
• May 6: Want to become a part of the Red Cross Movement and help change the world one community at a time? Register to attend our volunteer orientation in Manhattan or in Goshen and learn about the many ways you can impact your community and make new friends by volunteering with the American Red Cross. 
• Aug 22-27: Do you like to volunteer? Do you like golf? If so, have we got an opportunity for you! Sign up today to volunteer at THE NORTHERN TRUST at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, NY 8/22-8/27. For $75 you gain daily access to the tournament for you and a guest, a logoed polo shirt & baseball cap, and much more. Plus, your efforts will support the mission of the American Red Cross. Learn more here.