In Case You Missed It - Mar 18

Red Cross Disaster Responders at the 4-alarm apartment fire in Yonkers last Tuesday (Photo by Kevin Suttlehan).

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 109 adults and 22 children following 45 local disasters. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities (see below).

Last Week in Review 

• Early Sunday morning, the Red Cross responded to a fire in a Ronkonkoma apartment complex, providing immediate emergency needs to the residents of the 11 affected apartments.
• Continuing with our ongoing #MyRedCrossLife Instagram series: last week we featured Barbara Robey, a Red Cross volunteer of 16 years who not only shared her family’s history of volunteering with the Red Cross, but also her current role volunteering with the Emergency Communications Center, and how she made a social impact with it. 
• Newsday reported early morning on Thursday that at least 21 residents were displaced due to a fire in an East Islip Condo. The Red Cross assisted 10 families, providing 21 comfort kits and a stipend for necessities. 
• According to lohud.com, throughout the week, Red Cross Disaster Responders assisted over 150 families displaced due to a massive 4-alarm apartment fire in Yonkers. They set up a shelter at Roosevelt High School during the fire, and provided food, housing and financial assistance, as well as mental health services. Check out the photos taken that night by volunteer photographer Kevin Suttlehan. 
• Celebrating Red Cross Month 
• The Red Cross Greater New York Chapter celebrated by hosting a “Thank-a-thon”, where many team members called to thank the volunteers for their lifesaving work. 
• On Wednesday, executives of the Red Cross Chapters in New York joined the National CEO Gail McGovern as well as other chapters senior staff in a congressional reception to welcome the 116th Congress. 
• While staff members were in Capitol Hill, they met with members of Congress in Capitol Hill like Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and José E. Serrano, providing updates on our service delivery new initiatives and ongoing long-term recovery work in Puerto Rico. 
• The Metro North Chapter CEO Mary Young and their amazing volunteers met with the County Executives from all the regions that they serve, as well as the Town Selectman from Greenwich. 
• Governor Andrew Cuomo proclaimed March as Red Cross Month in New York where Clara Barton founded the first American Red Cross Chapter in Dansville back in 1881. 

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• Our Summer 2019 Unpaid Internship Program is open for applications! Red Cross Internships are a rare opportunity to explore and enrich your future career prospects while serving others. Our 10-week Summer Program is open to undergraduate or graduate students. The Program starts Monday, June 3rd. Click here to apply.
• We are actively recruiting for the following volunteer positions: Volunteer Screener, Home Fire Campaign Team Member, Disaster Action Team Member, and Community Preparedness Education Program Team Member. Apply today at www.redcross.org/volunteer! For more information, please contact recruitmentgny@redcross.org.
• March 19, 22, 25: 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!
• May 1: Every day seven people die in home fires and the Red Cross wants to do everything we can to prevent these needless tragedies. Red Cross in Greater New York will be hosting Sound the Alarm events at locations in Manhattan from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Please sign up to volunteer. 
• June 13: The Red Cross Young Patrons provides rising stars with an opportunity to network with other socially-conscious professionals and help leverage the mission of the American Red Cross in the local community. Sign up here to join 'An Evening Under the Stars', a summer rooftop soiree to support the Red Cross, featuring an open bar, dinner, and live music.