In Case You Missed It

Darth Vader took time out of conquering the galaxy to donate blood on "May the 4th."

From Apr. 29 - May 5, the American Red Cross in Greater New York provided emergency assistance to 173 adults and 54 children following 45 local disaster responses. Here are some highlights from the past week and a preview of upcoming activities. (See below)

Last Week in Review

• Last week, we held volunteer appreciation events on Long Island, in Metro NY North, and in NYC to thank everyone who helps fulfill our Red Cross mission.
• On “May the 4th,” Darth Vader graciously honored us with his dark presence and joined the light side of the force by donating at our blood donor center in Greenwich, CT.
• Also on Saturday, News12 Brooklyn covered a fire on Flatbush Avenue where the Red Cross responded.
• We shared a happy update to the story of Martha Richardson, a Navy veteran who was asleep in the middle of the night when a drunk driver crashed his car into her home.
• Last Thursday, our GNY Disaster Action Team volunteers responded to a fire in Bushwick, Brooklyn — registering 60 people (and 7 pets) for emergency assistance. See coverage from ABC7, CBS2, NBC4, PIX11, News12 Brooklyn, NY1, the NY Post, Bushwick Daily, and Patch.
• Last Wednesday, working with the Mastic Fire Department, the Fire Marshals of Suffolk County, StateFarm and Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, our teams installed 376 smoke alarms, 84 carbon monoxide detectors, and providing fire safety information to 106 homes.
• May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month, and we are celebrating the significant contributions that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made to our country and to the Red Cross.
• To close out Pet First Aid Awareness Month, our Metro NY North chapter CEO Stephanie Dunn Ashley shared some great tips and encouraged all to keep their pets safe in her latest column for the Greenwich Sentinel.

Upcoming Events and Activities

• More extreme weather means more volunteers are needed. The American Red Cross invites you to Spring into Action by becoming a volunteer today. Learn more! #SpringIntoAction
• May 8: Join us in New York City to help install free smoke alarms for a Sound the Alarm event. Sign up here.
• May 16: Join us online to learn how you can make a difference in your community by becoming a Red Cross volunteer. Discover the various opportunities available and how you can contribute to our mission of helping those in need.