In Case You Missed It - Dec 19

IMAGES OF 2018: A look back at some of the moments that marked 

the last 12 months for the American Red Cross in Greater NY

Over the last 10 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 175 adults and 55 children following 62 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities. (see below)

Last Week in Review

• As 2018 winds down, we are looking back at some of the moments and people that marked the past year for the American Red Cross in Greater New York. Be sure to check out this web recap and this slide show. 
• Yesterday, Metro NY North Red Cross volunteers helped more than a dozen New Rochelle residents left homeless by a fire. 
• Last week our Communications Officer Michael de Vulpillieres reflected on his recent deployment to Northern California in a blog post for the emergency readiness site, Preparation Concierge. 
• On Friday, RAND Engineering and Architecture hosted a Red Cross blood drive. Big thanks to RAND for their partnership! 
• For an upcoming New Yorker of the Week segment, NY1 visited our Manhattan office last Thursday to chat with and feature one of our volunteers. We couldn’t be more excited! Who is being featured? Stay tuned to our Facebook page to find out! 
• On Thursday, we had the honor of hosting the President of the Indonesian Red Cross at our NYC offices. 
• Earlier in the week, our International Services team organizaed a group of staff, including Greater NY Red Cross board members, to visit the United Nations for the IFRC launch of their World Disaster Report. The theme of the 2018 report: Leaving No One Behind. 
• Over the several days, our NYC, Long Island and Metro NY North volunteers gathered for their respective holiday-themed, All-Hands meetings. Thanks to all who attended! 
• Last week, our Community Relations team met with State Senator and Red Cross partner Joseph Addabbo to discuss our work in his district and across the region. 
• Cedric Devoren recently returned home after several weeks in Saipan where he supported Red Cross relief efforts following Typhoon Yutu. Thank you to him and to all our team members from across this region who have deployed this year to support Red Cross relief efforts far from home! 

Upcoming Events & Opportunities 

• We are actively recruiting for the following volunteer positions: Volunteer Screener, Disaster Action Team Member, Recruitment Support Member, Mass Care Team Member. Apply today at www.redcross.org/volunteer! For more information, please contact recruitmentgny@redcross.org.
• Dec. 20: A Red Cross blood drive will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Better Homes and Gardens Realty, 3928 East Tremont Ave, Bronx, New York 10465. Schedule an appointment to donate today! 
• Dec. 21 and 24: A Red Cross blood drive will take place from 1 to 7 p.m. at the American Red Cross in Greater NY, 520 West 49th Street, New York, New York 10019. Schedule an appointment to donate today! 
• Dec. 22: A Red Cross blood drive will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bridge Church, 38 East 1st St., Mount Vernon,New York 10550. Schedule an appointment to donate today! 
• Jan. 13: The American Red Cross is heading to the Bronx to install FREE smoke alarms and provide fire safety information to area residents. Sign up today for your FREE smoke alarm by calling 877-RED CROSS or by visiting soundthealarm.org/NYC. 
• Apr. 15: Would you like to run the Boston Marathon for a good cause? Join the American Red Cross Runners on a Mission at the 2019 Boston Marathon. Be a part of our team and run to help deliver hope to those in their greatest time of need. Apply on our website: www.redcross.org/teamredcrossboston or email teamredcrossboston@redcross.org.

In Case You Missed It - Dec 11

TV anchor Ashleigh Banfield and Red Cross board member goes on a disaster ride-along.

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 146 adults and 44 children following 52 disaster responses. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities. (see below)

Last Week in Review

• While installing free smoke alarms out in Freeport over the weekend, Long Island Red Cross volunteers discovered a gas leak during a routine visit and promptly alerted the authorities, preventing what could have been terrible disaster. Good work team!
• On Saturday, the Greenwich Police Department hosted its annual “Battle of the Badges” Blood Drive, a friendly competition between the local police, EMS and fire departments.
• We posted this touching story written by Red Cross volunteer Vivian Moy on our blog. Vivian just returned home from her deployment to Northern California supporting Red Cross response to the Camp Fire.
• On Thursday, the Metro New York North Red Cross hosted a holiday-themed all-hands party for volunteers.
• Thanks to Greenwich Hospital for hosting Holiday Mail for Heroes. So many wonderful messages of thanks were written for our active military and veterans.
• Like his fellow NYC Council Member Robert Holden, Council Member Andrew Cohen showed his support for our Sound the Alarm program by taping a PSA as we are about to embark on a major service delivery partnership in his district to help end home fires.
• The Long Island Red Cross Board of Directors came together for an evening to celebrate a year of successes.
• TV anchor extraordinaire and Red Cross volunteer/board member Ashleigh Banfield joined a disaster ride-along and worked alongside our Red Cross response teams in NYC, supporting displaced families by fires and other disasters.
• Following a 3-alarm fire late Tuesday on Grand Concourse in the Bronx, Red Cross registered 16 families, offering a range of assistance including temporary housing and emergency funds.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities 

• We are actively recruiting for the following volunteer positions: Volunteer Screener, Disaster Action Team Member, Recruitment Support Member, Mass Care Team Member. Apply today at www.redcross.org/volunteer! For more information, please contact recruitmentgny@redcross.org. 
• Dec 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. Schedule an appointment to donate today!
• Dec 13: Join the Red Cross Young Patrons at their Holiday Soirée: a night of conversation, drinks, live music and general holiday cheer at the beautiful and historic Players Club in Gramercy Park. To purchase tickets, click here!
• Jan 13: The American Red Cross is heading to the #Bronx to install FREE smoke alarms and provide fire safety information to area residents. Sign up today for your FREE smoke alarm by calling 877-REDCROSS or visiting soundthealarm.org/NYC.
• Apr 15: Would you like to run the Boston Marathon for a good cause? Join the American Red Cross Runners on a Mission at the 2019 Boston Marathon. Be a part of our team and run to help deliver hope to those in their greatest time of need. Apply on our website: www.redcross.org/teamredcrossboston or email teamredcrossboston@redcross.org.

Notes from Deployment: Northern California

By Vivian Moy, American Red Cross in Greater NY

Photo credit Vivian Moy/American Red Cross

Unconditional love...that's what I think of when I see someone with their dog. I met Brandi at the American Red Cross Silver Dollar Fairgrounds shelter a few days ago. Her hair color and vivacious personality caught my eye. I always like friendly people. She has been through so much yet she keeps moving forward.

Brandi lived in Paradise her whole life. This small town is where she worked, got married, had a child, went to church and went to school. She loves her town like I love Port Washington my hometown. She is in a state of grief for many things...the loss of her home and her friends and her way of life as she knew it to be. And also for her peace of mind. She says the nightmares haven't started yet because she can't sleep

Boss (her dog) saved Brandi's life by alerting her to the fire! She had only minutes to escape because the neighbor's home was already on fire when he woke her up! Her grandmother's ring is the only thing she managed to grab on the way out. She hopped into a friends car which they soon had to abandon because the back tire popped from the intense heat! On foot briefly, another friend picked her up and they attempted again to get out of town. But they were gridlocked for a few tense minutes on what seemed like the only road out of town. Seeing the sheriff they got out of the car and asked him where should we go? Which direction? The sheriff replied....just run. Thankfully, the congestion eased and only by driving through a wall of fire on the road did they manage to escape with their lives.

Brandi saw some unspeakable sights that do not bear repeating. Thankfully, we have some wonderful Disaster Mental Health volunteers that Brandi has been talking to with regularity. 

"The Red Cross has been so kind and accommodating especially with Boss. They didn't have to be."

This is just one story of the way the American Red Cross has cared for the evacuees of Paradise. 

Donate if you can. The story is out of the news but our work here continues. #HOPEStartsWithUs

In Case You Missed It - Dec 3

American Red Cross helping Boy Scout Crew 105 and Pack 25 with First Aid Training

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 146 adults and 37 children following 53 disaster responses. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities. (see below)

Last Week in Review

• Local Red Cross volunteers from Greater NY continue to help those left homeless by the tragic wildfires in California. Thank you to our Red Crossers including Vivian Moy (Public Affairs) and Hannah Simpson (Disability Integration) for providing support. 
• Yesterday, Metro New York North volunteers opened a Reception Center and provided emergency assistance to 15 families (30 adults, 9 children, and 5 dogs) who were displaced by a fire in Yonkers. 
• Red Cross volunteers also provided comfort and care to 9 adults, 5 children, and 1 dog displaced by a fire in Brentwood yesterday. 
• Red Cross volunteers teamed up with partner MIRA USA in Newburgh on Saturday to install free smoke alarms in 60 homes. 
• On Saturday, American Red Cross held a First Aid Merit Badge Training and Certification for Boy Scout Crew 105 and Pack 25 at the Brentwood Public Library. 
• The Red Cross Club at Deer Park High School recently held a fundraiser for hurricane relief during which they raised over $1,300! Keep up the good work Deer Park! 
• Thank you CBS New York and CBS Cares for partnering with the American Red Cross for a holiday card signing event to express gratitude and holiday wishes to our service members. 
• On Monday, we visited NYC Councilman and Red Cross Sound the Alarm partner Robert Holden to record this fire safety message! 
• Local Red Crossers including Cedric Davoren are continuing to deliver hope and help to those affected by Super Typhoon Yutu in the islands of Saipan and Tinian (Northern Mariana Islands). 

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

• We are actively recruiting for the following volunteer positions: Volunteer Screener, Disaster Action Team Member, Recruitment Support Member, Mass Care Team Member.  Apply today at www.redcross.org/volunteer! For more information, please contact recruitmentgny@redcross.org.
• Dec 3, 4, 7, 9: Red Cross blood drives will take place from 2 to 7 p.m. on Dec 3rd, 4th, and 7th, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the 9th at the Greater NY Red Cross building located at 520 West 49th Street, Manhattan. Schedule an appointment to donate today! 
• Dec 13: Join the Red Cross Young Patrons at their Holiday Soirée: a night of conversation, drinks, live music and general holiday cheer at the beautiful and historic Players Club in Gramercy Park. To purchase tickets, click here! 
• Apr 15: Would you like to run the Boston Marathon for a good cause? Join the American Red Cross Runners on a Mission at the 2019 Boston Marathon. Be a part of our team and run to help deliver hope to those in their greatest time of need. Apply on our website: www.redcross.org/teamredcrossboston or email teamredcrossboston@redcross.org

Notes From the Field: the Camp Fire

by Michael de Vulpillieres, American Red Cross in Greater NY

Standing outside a shelter for wildfire evacuees on my first full day in Butte County, Calif., I met a couple from the town of Paradise who were forced to flee their home 36 hours earlier. Holding back tears, the husband detailed his traumatic escape while he showed me photos of the apocalyptic scenes he witnessed driving to safety. Despite losing his house and all his belongings, all that mattered to him was that his family was safe.

Throughout my deployment to Northern California I heard similarly harrowing stories every day. Maybe it was my Red Cross jacket but residents were very forthcoming about their ordeal. A man in line at Starbucks told me about his evacuation and how he knew to begin franticly loading up his car after hearing the fire which he said sounded like a freight train in the canyon just behind his house. A woman at a gas station, also left homeless by the fire, explained to me how her son ran nearly five miles to safety through thick black smoke after abandoning his car because traffic was at a standstill. An elderly woman I met at a shelter shared with me how she was forced to flee alone in her car, and how her terrifying drive to safety surrounded by flames took hours.

All the evacuees I met were still in shock and all but a few held out any hope that their houses were still standing. Many knew the fate of their homes because they were engulfed in flames by the time their cars reached the end of their driveways. That’s how quickly the fire moved.

A few days into my deployment, I saw firsthand the destruction that these families fled days earlier. Accompanied by officials from Cal Fire, my team visited the town of Paradise. What we witnessed was surreal and disorienting. Neighborhoods were barren, full of homes burned to their foundations, charred appliances and vehicles, melted metal and glass, pockets of smoldering ash. Occasionally we’d come across a sign of life and color, like a fully intact child’s toy.

None of the families I personally met lost loved ones to the fire, thankfully. But that is not to say that the anxiety and scope of loss was not palpable. In front of each shelter were bulletin boards containing lists, names and photos of missing individuals. There were also notes posted to these boards speaking directly to the missing: “I love you” “we miss you.” It was heartbreaking to see those boards fill up day after day.

But my time in California was also marked by moments of hope. Shining a light through the smoke and darkness was the generosity that poured in from near and far. I traveled from New York City to work with the Red Cross and met many fellow team members, mostly volunteers, from local communities, several who lost their homes, as well as from dozens of states across the country. Each day they worked tirelessly to help: providing shelter, meals, water, emotional support, health assistance, reunification and so much more.

And there were countless other individuals and organizations large and small providing just about anything you could imagine for the survivors: food, coffee, internet service, face masks, wifi, phones, clothes, music performances, services/supplies for pets, hay for rescued livestock, rides to the doctor, a room in their homes.

After I explained to an evacuee at a shelter where the meals were came from, the man looked at me, deeply humbled, and asked, “Why can’t we be this kind to each other every day?”