In Case You Missed It - Sept 24

Sean Penn and Chef Jose Andres from fellow community partners JP HRO and World Central Kitchen
who were helping to provide delicious meals for Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 82 adults and 23 children following 33 disaster responses. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review

• Thousands of Red Cross volunteers and employees are working around the clock to provide shelter, food, comfort and other emergency support to victims of Hurricane Florence as tens of thousands recover from massive flooding. Get ground-level updates from some of our local Red Crossers deployed there now: Josh Lockwood, Vivian Moy, Maria Milan, FDNY DART
• Big thanks to Joe Lawless and the UPS team, MNYN Logistics Volunteers and Hudson Valley Paws for Cause for helping out throughout our 3rd annual Warehouse Clean-up Day. 
• On Friday, the Greater New York Red Cross was given the opportunity to highlight the humanitarian relief efforts to support people affected by Hurricane Florence by ringing the NYSE Closing Bell. 
• On Thursday, during a non-profit roundtable meeting, Pat Beckley, Regional Director of NYS Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services presented Long Island Red Cross volunteer Celia Vollmer with an award recognizing her tireless efforts supporting the community. 
• Special big ups to team Showtime Networks for supporting the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces team by building “comfort kits” (personal hygiene products/toiletries) for service members and writing “Thank You” notes for the women and men of the U.S. Armed Services! 
• A special installment of our "Three Questions" blog series was posted on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria's landfall in Puerto Rico featuring Carlos Menendez who joined the Red Cross after watching this historic disaster unfold on TV. 
• Check out the recent episode of NYC Emergency Management's podcast "Prep Talk" featuring our Communications Officer discussing how we work with NYC partners to help NYers before, during and after disasters. 
• The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy of Kings Point, NY continues to be an outstanding partner for the Greater New York Red Cross by helping to install over 1,700 smoke alarms as part of the Sound the Alarm fire safety campaign.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• Sept 25, 28, Oct 1: Red Cross blood drives will take place from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Greater NY Red Cross building located at 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan and other locations. Schedule an appointment to donate today.
• Sept 30: On Sunday, September 30th, we're proud to be partnering with the Florida (NY) Fire Department installing smoke alarms and providing fire safety education in the Florida Fire district. For an appointment, please call 845-673-1198 or visit soundthealarm.org/mnyn. 
• Oct 10: Join us for the annual American Red Cross: Heroes Among Us gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom to celebrate the civic leaders and heroic individuals who embody our humanitarian mission. 
• Nov 4: The American Red Cross Greater New York Region is proud to Run for the Red in November at the TCS New York City Marathon. Come be a part of Team Red Cross and sign up by Thursday, September 13! Space is limited, so secure your spot today! For more information, contact Bob Estremera at NYCmarathon@redcross.org or 212-875-2091.

"Three Questions"... with Red Cross Volunteer Carlos Menendez

"Three Questions” is an American Red Cross in Greater New York blog series featuring staff, volunteers, and partners who help carry out our humanitarian mission. Through these short interviews, we hope to shine a light on our different programs and get to know those who make this work possible.

Carlos Menendez, a retired Corrections Officer, joined the American Red Cross in Greater New York last year after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. He spent several months volunteering in the Service Center set by NYC to help residents affected by the fall hurricanes arriving in New York City, before being deployed to Puerto Rico to do disaster assessment. He now serves the Metro NY North Chapter as a volunteer in multiple capacities.

What inspired you to join the Red Cross?

Hurricane Maria hit on my birthday, September 20th of 2017, and I said to myself, “Why on my birthday?” I’m watching the news, and I see the destruction and thought, "I can’t sit here and not do anything." Really for the life of me I couldn’t. I could not sit there and not get up and help. I’ve always been like that. My heart just went out for the people...I had always known the Red Cross to do things for people because when my sister died in 1971, I was in the military, and the Red Cross was able to reach me with the news. So when I saw the destruction [in Puerto Rico], I felt that the Red Cross had helped me in the past, so I wanted to be somebody that could help somebody else.

Can you tell me about your experience working in the Harlem Service Center?

I went to the Service Center for the refugees that were coming in from Puerto Rico. I went there as a volunteer to help, and I ended up staying for four months. I stayed. I was there October, November, December and January. And then January is when I deployed to Puerto Rico, and I didn’t get back until February.

When I was in the Service Center, I helped one man who had open heart surgery about a month before and was sleeping in a two-bedroom apartment with eleven people. He was sleeping on the floor, and he was in his 80s. And through the FEMA TSA [Temporary Shelter Assistance] program, I was able to help get him a hotel room. And while I was at the Service Center, I was able to help house close to 40-50 families through that FEMA program. I had another girl that I housed – she had three kids, one of them was autistic – and she had nowhere to go. I made referrals for mental health and medical services, and we were able to house her in a hotel down in the city.

I was rewarded by seeing people being able to continue with their lives. Some people lost everything and don’t know how to deal with it. If I could be that one little thing that could help them move on and help them start their lives over again, then I have to do it. So in the four months I developed a rapport with everyone around me where they were coming to me with questions.

Carlos, alongside former NYC Council Speaker Melissa
Mark-Viverito (L) and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz.

Can you tell me about your experience being deployed to Puerto Rico?

To me it was a privilege to go to Puerto Rico and do disaster assessment there. I was there for a month. I went into the mountains, areas that were maybe 1,500 feet above sea level. And I saw the destruction in the mountains. When people see you, they’re so loving. I don’t know how to explain it. You go into somebody’s house and right away they want to feed you. They want to feed you with the little they have. And I would say, “No, no, it’s ok.” I went to one elderly couple that had nothing. They lived on the side of the mountain and they farmed off the side of that mountain. Their whole crop, everything, was lost. They had no water, no lights.

The American Red Cross in Greater NY deployed dozens of volunteers like Carlos to Puerto Rico to support Hurricane Maria relief efforts. Dozens more volunteered with us at the Service Center in Manhattan. To learn more about American Red Cross relief in Puerto Rico, read the one-year update.

In Case You Missed It - Sept 17

Greater NY Red Crossers deployed to the Carolinas for Hurricane Florence Relief. (Photo: Vivian Moy)

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 61 adults and 19 children following 30 disaster responses. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review

• Throughout the week, we supported our colleagues in the Carolinas as they prepared for and ultimately began to respond to Hurricane Florence. By Sunday, more than 40 of our team members had deployed to help, including Neela Lockel, Vivian Moy and Eli Russ.
• On Sunday, Long Island Red Cross volunteers installed 75 smoke alarms in Suffolk County as part of the Sound the Alarm Fire Safety Campaign.
• News 12 spoke to both Long Island Red Cross CEO Neela Mukherjee Lockel and Mass Care Manager Eli Russ about how local Red Crossers are doing their part to help in the Hurricane Florence recovery effort.
• Greater New York CEO Josh Lockwood spoke with Vivian Lee of NY1 about the remarkable support Red Crossers are providing to families impacted by the Hurricane. 
• Newsday also chatted with a few of our Long Island team members deploying to North Carolina.
• Last Thursday, we hosted and livestreamed a panel discussion with the some of the producers and actors of the film BEL CANTO as well as ICRC representatives. The movie is loosely based on an actual hostage crisis that took place in Lima, Peru in 1996 and 1997 during which ICRC played a key role as a neutral intermediary and negotiator.
• Tuesday marked the 17th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks. We took a moment to #NeverForget those we lost and recognize the Red Crossers who responded to the event.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• Sept 18, 21, 22: Red Cross blood drives will take place from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Greater NY Red Cross building located at 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan and other locations. Schedule an appointment to donate today.
• Oct 10: Join us for the annual American Red Cross: Heroes Among Us gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom to celebrate the civic leaders and heroic individuals who embody our humanitarian mission. 
• Nov 4: The American Red Cross Greater New York Region is proud to Run for the Red in November at the TCS New York City Marathon. Come be a part of Team Red Cross and sign up by Thursday, September 13! Space is limited, so secure your spot today! For more information, contact Bob Estremera at NYCmarathon@redcross.org or 212-875-2091.

In Case You Missed It - Sept 10

"Touch a Truck" Community Event at Brentwood Library

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 157 adults and 60 children following 57 disaster responses. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review

• The Red Cross responded to a raging 4-alarm fire Sunday night in the Far Rockaways by opening a reception center and providing emergency support for the families that had to evacuate the 7-story apartment. Volunteer Vivian Moy provided this harrowing account from a young second grader who lost her home that night. 
• The NY Air National Guard's Bravo Company 642 Aviation Support Battalion (ASB) hosted a Round Robin' Expo on Sunday for emergency response agencies to improve future coordination efforts during disasters or emergencies.
• On Saturday, the Long Island Red Cross participated in a very fun “Touch A Truck” community event held by the Brentwood Library.
• Six Metro NY North Red Crossers were at the New Windsor Gardens Complex visiting 66 Homes where a total of 144 Smoke Alarms were installed and 133 Residents were given fire safety and hurricane prep tips. Good work team!
• We are so proud of our four legged volunteers who were recently featured on petMD for their amazing work supporting military members and their families. 
• News12 Brooklyn spoke with Red Cross about back-to-school safety tips. Stay safe everyone!
• On Thursday, the Long Island Red Cross hosted the first annual LI Disaster Recovery Networking Expo for over a dozen social service agencies to better coordinate and collaborate on serving and helping our clients.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• Sept 11, 14, 17: Red Cross blood drives will take place from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Greater NY Red Cross building located at 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan and other locations. Schedule an appointment to donate today.
• Oct 10: Join us for the annual American Red Cross: Heroes Among Us gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom to celebrate the civic leaders and heroic individuals who embody our humanitarian mission. 
• Nov 4: The American Red Cross Greater New York Region is proud to Run for the Red in November at the TCS New York City Marathon. Come be a part of Team Red Cross and sign up by Thursday, September 13! Space is limited, so secure your spot today! For more information, contact Bob Estremera at NYCmarathon@redcross.org or 212-875-2091.

In Case You Missed It - Sept. 4

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 56 adults and 29 children following 36 disaster responses. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities.

On Tuesday night a group of area kids were honored at Yankee Stadium
 for their support of local blood drives this summer.

Last Week in Review

• To mark National Preparedness Month, the Red Cross began offering FREE shipping on all emergency readiness supplies starting on Saturday. Offer valid all month. 
• On Thursday, our incredible fire safety team visited homes in Heritage Hills amid 90+ degree temperatures to install FREE smoke alarms! 
• Also on Thursday, we posted a blog story about our very own Debbie Hayden, who recently put her CPR skills to use helping to revive an unresponsive passenger on the LIRR. 
• Tuesday evening was a night to remember in the Bronx: Before the Yankees-White Sox game, our Blood Services team along with a group of kids who’ve supported Red Cross blood drives this summer were honored! Among those recognized on the field was Brandon VonBargen, an inspiring third-grader at the Bayville School on Long Island. Brandon has been fighting A-P-M-L, a form of leukemia, and has required red and white blood cells, as well as platelets during treatment. It’s the generosity of volunteer blood donors who've helped to make these transfusions possible. 
• On Wednesday, we recognized Seamus, a dedicated therapy dog with our West Point team, and his handler Barbara. This special little guy is currently in remission from cancer after undergoing treatment. Wishing him all the best! 
• Earlier in the week we posted this video highlighting the work of our awesome summer interns.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• Sept. 4, 6 and 7: Red Cross blood drives will take place from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Greater NY Red Cross building located at 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan and other locations. Schedule an appointment to donate today.
• Oct. 10: Join us for the annual American Red Cross: Heroes Among Us gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom to celebrate the civic leaders and heroic individuals who embody our humanitarian mission. 
• Nov. 4: The American Red Cross Greater New York Region is proud to Run for the Red in November at the TCS New York City Marathon. Come be a part of Team Red Cross and sign up by Thursday, September 13! Space is limited, so secure your spot today! For more information, contact Bob Estremera at NYCmarathon@redcross.org or 212-875-2091.