Heroes among us

“In times of upheaval, there are heroes among us. Their presence comforts us, even if we don’t know their names. They inspire us by fighting for their lives or by risking their lives for a greater good.”

The quote above,written by Vera H-C Chan, introduces an online story that we found truly inspiring: Yahoo! 2011 Year in Review — Heroic Acts. As many people do this time of year, Yahoo! took a look back at these past 12 months and listed their Top 10 Heroic Acts.

Clicking through the story, you’ll be reminded of the tales this past year that caught the nation’s and the world’s attention. Check out the article, and you’ll see why we were quite excited to see the No. 4 Hero of 2011… Red Cross Volunteers.

The article’s story of Mike Meyer – a Red Cross volunteer who went on a disaster relief deployment  several times this past year – is one shared by many. Across our Palm Beaches-Treasure Coast Region alone we had almost 100 volunteers go out around the country to help when tornadoes, hurricanes and wildfires tore through the land.

We love letting our volunteers know how much we appreciate them, and were excited to see this article highlight their great work.

2011: Busy year for disasters

Normally we think infographics are pretty cool, but the map in the infographic below had us feeling pretty stunned. We knew we’d had a busy year around here at the Red Cross, but to see that  46 out of 50 were affected by a major disaster during 2011 was astonishing. Fortunately though, in each of of the Red-Cross-red states where disasters occurred our wonderful volunteers (and all of the donors who support us) were able to help hundreds of thousands of people whose lives were forever changed by disasters — from tornadoes, floods, wildfires and hurricanes in the U.S. to earthquakes and other disasters around the world.

Throughout the year, the American Red Cross supported the people of Japan and Haiti, while launching 137 domestic disaster relief operations in 46 states and territories to help people affected by fires, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes across the United States. In addition, major international disasters included the Japan earthquake and tsunami response and the continuing work following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

In the United States, the Red Cross opened 1,019 shelters and provided more than 130,000 overnight stays. 27,622 trained disaster workers served more than 6.7 million meals and snacks and distributed more than 2.6 million relief items. Health and mental health workers provided more than 133,000 consultations and Red Cross workers opened 16,752 cases to help people get on the road to recovery.

Red Cross shelter: Volunteers in action

It was late Sunday afternoon when Red Cross volunteers got the call: More than 100 people were affected by a 30-unit apartment fire in western Palm Beach County. Within hours the Red Cross teams, working alongside the NAACP Community Partnership Shelter Team,  had set up a warm, safe shelter at St. John’s First Missionary Baptist Church for all of the impacted residents. To date almost 40 Red Cross volunteers Palm Beach, Okeechobee and Martin counties – alongside more than a dozen volunteers from NACCP Sheltering team – have served 405 meals and 630 snacks as we continue to provide support for impacted residents.

Red Cross opened a shelter Sunday afternoon for residents displaced by a 30 unit apartment fire, meeting the needs of all those affected. Photo by Jill Masters/American Red Cross

Red Cross volunteers Thomas Hernandez and Bruce Allen check residents into the shelter as the Red Cross works to make sure all of the needs are met. Photo by Jill Masters/American Red Cross

Red Cross volunteer Keith Young helps to serve lunch to the shelter residents. Photo by Jill Masters/American Red Cross

What’s your #perfectgift this holiday season?

Earlier this week, Craig Newmark (of craigslist and craigconnects fame) celebrated his birthday with a somewhat different approach to gifting – he kicked off a conversation on Twitter on what the perfect gift would be, promising to donate $1 per response to the Red Cross, up to $10,000.

Results from our recent Holiday Giving poll have suggested that most Americans (68% of those surveyed) believe that because of the economy, it’s important to give something to charity. What a telling statistic. With so much variety out there in terms of what people are passionate about and what cause they would like to contribute to if they could, imagine how many lives could be changed. We’re excited to read your tweets in response, and have been inspired by the replies thus far!

And if your perfect gift is giving comfort, help, or hope to someone in need, you can check out our Holiday Giving Catalog for a bunch of options through the Red Cross.

Thanks, Craig, for committing to helping us help others- we’re humbled by your support and looking forward to being a part of the conversation!

Weigh in on Twitter - what is your idea of a #perfectgift?

 

Adapted from the American Red Cross blog, posted by Gloria Huang

Nothing says ‘Holiday Season’ like claymation

Meet Fred. He’s cute, charitable and…made of clay.

That’s right folks, we’re bringing you a claymation video today. It’s an art form that hasn’t been used as much in recent years, but typically makes a comeback during the Holiday Season as  people across the country pull out their favorite holiday films. (Think of the classics like Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Little Drummer Boy, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, The Year Without Santa Claus, and the more recent The Nightmare Before Christmas.)

Our claymation film also tells a story about the holiday season, specifically, our  2011 American Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog.  Click play to find out more!

So long, farewell, Hurricane Season!

Saying ‘Goodbye’ can sometimes be sad and heartbreaking, but when it comes to the end of Hurricane Season (June 1 – November 30) we definitely can’t say that we’re sorry to see it go. In fact, we’d like to wish it a good riddance and ask that it never return…but we know that won’t happen, which is why we remain ready for disasters year-round (and want you to remain prepared as well). After all, hurricanes can still occur in the off-season and as we approach colder weather many states face the challenges of winter storms.

Although we were fortunate to not be hit here in Florida this year, our friends to to north weren’t as lucky when Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee came barreling towards the East Coast. But in true Red Cross neighbor-helping-neighbor fashion, almost 100 local volunteers from our Palm Beaches-Treasure Coast Region left the comfort of their homes to go help those in need during the aftermath of the storms.

And truly, that is what we are all about here at the Red Cross: responding to where the need is greatest, whether it’s down the street or across the country or around the world. If you’d like to see highlights of the 2011 hurricane season, tune in to a video on the NOAA website.

Cyber Monday: Give Something That Means Something

Around here we like to keep up to date on our fellow Red Cross chapters and regions across the county, and today we came across a post on the Nebraska/SW Iowa Region Blog that we wanted to pass along to you.

By: Dan Mackevicius, Communications Intern for the Nebraska/SW Iowa Region

So you fought the crowds at Black Friday.  You made it out of the store loaded with gifts for friends and family: a video game and a Nerf gun for Jimmy, a new doll house and Polly Pocket for Jenny, a fluffy scarf and new purse for Mom, a drill and tie for Dad, and a Chia Pet for Aunt Sue under the auspice of a “gag gift”.  Heck, maybe you got yourself a Snuggie just to see what all the hype was about.  Now you have all that stuff to wrap, all that stuff to lug around, all that stuff to hide.  All that stuff.  Now that you’re at work, Cyber Monday is staring you in the face.

Every day we are surrounded by messages to “buy this” and “buy that”.  This is especially true around the holidays, at one time a moment set aside to be around family and friends, which have since been turned into a materialistic free-for-all where giving is expected and expected to be reciprocated.  Doesn’t this cheapen the act of giving?  How can we turn this around?

The American Red Cross may have a solution for you.  Instead of giving something to someone, give something for someone.  If you visit www.redcross.org/gifts you will find gifts that you can donate in the name of someone on your list that will go towards helping someone else somewhere.  You can purchase phone cards for military members to let them call home during the holidays.  There are many different care packages for disaster victims both at home and abroad.  You can even save kids’ lives by covering the cost of their vaccinations.  And there is so much more you can do.

This Cyber Monday, point your browser towards our website. The Red Cross makes donating very easy for you.  Everything that we offer is spelled out simply and clearly on the website. We will even send you a greeting card so you can send the people you donated for a heads up of your gift.  On top of that, the Red Cross will also send you free gifts for donating (like you need more stuff, right?).  And here’s the best part: you’re doing something that matters. You’re helping someone that needs it.  You can give something that means something.  And doesn’t that feel good?

Stuff your Thanksgiving with safety

If we were to play a word association game, we would make a strong wager that the word “Thanksgiving” would immediately conjurer up thoughts of “food”, “feast”, “turkey”, “dinner”, “meal”. Of all holiday celebrations, Thanksgiving is most definitely the one that revolves around food the most (although we’d have to rank Halloween sweets and 4th of July burgers as close runner-ups).

But alongside all the food stuffed into the Thanksgiving Day (pardon our pun!), it also means a lot of cooking and baking. Which also means an increased chance for accidents and fires to happen — after all, cooking is the #1 cause of home fires in America. And although our Red Cross volunteers will be ready to respond, holiday-or-not, we’d prefer that everyone stays safe this season. So we compiled a list of safety tips to keep in mind while your roasting the turkey and mashing the potatoes. (Then be sure to take our Thanksgiving quiz to test your safety knowledge!)

• Start by not wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking. Never leave cooking food unattended – stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove
• Check your food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while cooking. Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.
• Keep the kids away from the cooking area. Enforce a “kid-free zone” and make them stay at least three feet away from the stove.
• Keep anything that can catch fire – pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from your stove, oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.
• Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
• Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen. Contact your local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.
• Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.
• Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year.

Wishing all a Happy Thanksgiving!

The holiday gifts your friends want to give (and get)

You know how we can’t resist posting cool infographics we come across, and the one below is no exception. As a charitable organization – and not a government agency — the Red Cross depends on the time, treasure and talent of our volunteers and the American public to perform our mission. So when we saw this infographic we were happy to see the generous spirit alive and well this holiday season, even during these  tough economic times.

What do you think? Do you agree with the survey results? We’d love to hear your thoughts  either in our comment section or by weighing in on this quick  poll:

 You can find out more about this holiday survey on the Red Cross site, or check out our online Holiday Giving Catalog to browse through some charitable gifts you can give this holiday season.

One holiday shopping deal you don’t want to miss

With just a little more than a week to go before one of the most anticipated shopping days of the year (or most dreaded days, depending on your gift-buying style), we wanted to let you know of one Black Friday deal you can’t find in any store:  Double Your Donation.

You heard us right – DOUBLE your donation, a.k.a. the coupon-clipper/BOGO/savvy shopping steal of the year. By using the new widget (see the image to the right) to make a donation to the American Red Cross, you will actually be supporting us twice as much because Serve from American Express will match your gift!

The cool new widget is in conjunction with the 2011 American Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog, a campaign which allows everyone to give meaningful gifts this holiday season. Rather than just buying your friends and family more stuff, why not give the gift of charity instead? The Holiday Catalog is filled with tons of symbolic gifts that you can purchase in the name of a loved one — like food and shelter for a disaster victim in your community, phone cards and supplies for  members of the military serving far away from home, or measles vaccinations for children around the world.

So whether you choose to double you gift (after all, the best kind of donation is a matched donation!) or browse through our catalog you can know that you are giving something that means something this holiday season.