In Case You Missed It – Oct 22

Red Cross volunteers providing comfort, a hot meal, snacks, and water to
Hope and her 3-week-old daughter, Scarlett in Panama City.

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 101 adults and 40 children following 39 disaster responses. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities. (see below)

Last Week in Review

• Red Crossers are working around the clock to provide safe shelter, hot meals, emotional support and so much more to the thousands affected by Hurricane Michael. Our Regional CEO posted a special thank you to a group of volunteers in Tallahassee, Fla. 
• Our Communications Officer Mike de Vulpillieres who recently traveled to North Carolina to help document the work of the Red Cross following Hurricane Florence shared a story about a woman he met in Fayetteville, Sonja Graham, and her recovery process.
• On Friday, 11 members of our FDNY DART team left for Florida to support Hurricane Michael relief efforts. Several of these volunteers had just returned from North Carolina where they helped residents impacted by Hurricane Florence only to head back out for another multiple-week deployment. 
• MIRA USA and Council Member Daniel Dromm teamed up to offer disaster preparedness training to residents in Jackson Heights, N.Y. 
• Councilman Justin Brannan partnered with the Red Cross to offer free smoke alarms to anyone who needs them. 
• Red Cross superstar Joe Spaccerelli shared his best practices for preparedness with top emergency managers from across the country on Thursday at a conference hosted by NYC Emergency Management.. 
• Our Sr. Director of Government and Community Relations John Waldman met with Councilman Keith Powers on Monday and Councilman Alan Maisel on Tuesday to strengthen our partnerships to more effectively deliver vital emergency preparedness education and training. 
• On Monday Red Cross wished a Happy 10th Red Cross Anniversary to Ronnie G. Rigos! Thank you for everything you do for this organization, Ronnie! We could not do what we do without volunteers like him! 

Upcoming Events

• Oct 22, 23 & 29: 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! 
• Oct 25, 27: “Sound the Alarm” fire safety smoke alarm installation events are coming to Long Island on Oct 25 (in partnership with PSEG Long Island) and in Newburgh on Oct 27. 
• Nov 4: The deadline for signing up for the Marathon Medical Spotter Team has been extended to Oct 23. The Spotter Team will monitor marathon runners in the post finish walk-off area and accompany those needing medical assistance to the nearest medical tent. Spotters MUST attend a “Hand-Only CPR” session to prepare for the event, and have a Red Cross ID. Active Red Cross volunteers can sign up on Volunteer Connection here.

In Case You Missed It – Oct 15

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 92 adults and 29 children following 37 disaster responses. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities. (see below)

Last Week in Review 

• On Wednesday Mike Tirico hosted the annual Red Cross Gala, honoring civic leaders and local heroes. Thank you to all our sponsors, who have supported this organization in making a difference around the globe during and after disasters. A highlight of the night included Aaron Sorkin honoring Private Emmanuel Mensah posthumously with ARC’s Local Hero Award. Among other honorees were Hearst for their humanitarian work, Macy’s for their corporate leadership, and IBM for 100 years of partnership. Special guests included actress Brenda Vaccaro and artist Gavin Degraw, who made this night unforgettable.
• American Red Cross volunteers are on the ground helping people who have been impacted by Hurricane Michael. On Friday, almost 2,900 people stayed in as many as 37 Red Cross community evacuation centers across Florida, Georgia and Alabama. ARC has served 30,000 snacks and is working with partners to start serving tens of thousands of hot meals each day. Click here to read more and learn how you can help!
• On Friday American Red Cross participated at the Baldwin fire department open house, signing up members of the community for free smoke alarm installations.
• On Thursday morning, MNYN volunteers were on scene in Monticello providing financial assistance, referrals, and support to ten families who have been displaced due to a water condition.
• ARC’s John Waldman met with Councilman Justin Brannan at City Hall on Thursday and is excited to announce the councilman’s partnership with the American Red Cross in Greater New York to deliver vital services to the community.
• The Red Cross team attended the FDNY annual memorial service on Riverside Drive on Wednesday.
• Last Monday The American Red Cross committed $1 million to aid communities impacted by earthquakes and tsunami in Indonesia.

Upcoming Events Activities

•  Oct 15, 19: 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!
• Oct 21: We will partner with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and FDNY Foundation to help "Sound the Alarm" by installing free smoke alarms in Brooklyn. Learn more by clicking here.

In Case You Missed It - Oct 8

Volunteers supporting Saturday's Sound the Alarm event in Long Island

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 87 adults and 25 children following 50 disaster responses. Here are some highlights from last week and a preview of upcoming activities. (see below)

Last Week in Review 

• Saturday was a great day for our Sound the Alarm program. Thank you to all the awesome volunteers who installed 101 alarms in 44 homes in Leisure Village! 
• American Red Cross shared fire safety information at Brentwood Fire Department’s Open House on Saturday. 
• MIRA USA and the American Red Cross teamed up to train and prepare Miraísts to help the community in case of a disaster. 
• Red Cross volunteers were on scene in the city of Peekskill providing Emergency Assistance and support to 6 families affected by a fire. 
• On Friday Allstate presented ARC with $30,000 in recognition of 45 Westchester agents volunteering to help commuters and their families prepare for unexpected disaster. 
• Thank you to our Red Cross volunteers who responded to the EF-O Tornado in Ronkonkoma, Long Island to assess damage, provide food, and offer support to those impacted on Wednesday. 
• On Tuesday Red Cross volunteer Janette shared about her work in the Latino Engagement Group. Click here to learn more about how she serves vulnerable communities after Hurricane Florence. 
• Our Communications Officer Mike de Vulpillieres, who was deployed to North Carolina, shared the stories of survivors of Hurricane Florence and how they make the best of a tough situation: Barry, Sonja, and Georgia.   
• The Eastern North Carolina Red Cross shared a story of our very own FDNY DART team helping their communities affected by Hurricane Florence. 

Upcoming Events

• 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
• Oct 12, 13, 15: 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 on Oct 12 and 15. On Oct 13, the blood drive will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Renaissance Youth Center located at 3485 Third Avenue, Bronx. Schedule an appointment to donate today.  . 
• 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 - Oct 1

Ringing the closing bell of NYSE to raise awareness for Hurricane Florence relief.

Over the last 7 days, the Greater New York Red Cross provided emergency assistance to 55 adults and 20 children following 37 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. Get ground-level updates from some of our local Red Crossers deployed there now: Bruce Vesloski, Josh Lockwood, Brian Gerber, FDNY DART. And watch this video poem tribute to volunteers by Jamillah Abdul-Kareem.
• On Saturday MNYN teamed up with members of the Florida, NY Fire Department for the most successful Sound the Alarm Event to date! Volunteers visited 63 homes, installed 244 smoke alarms, and educated 175 people about fire safety.
• Long-time GNY Red Cross volunteer Christophe Lobry-Boulanger moderated an interesting discussion with Dr Jemilah Mahmood of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on Friday about the current IFRC engagement during the high-level debate of the UN General Assembly in New York.
• On Friday, ARC continues to partner with Win to deliver services to the most vulnerable in our society.
• The masterminds behind the Metro New York Red and White Ball to be held on April 27th met for the first time. Thanks to Fairfield County Look for the fantastic pictures capturing the kick off luncheon.
• Congratulations to Chief External Relations Officer Desiree Ramos Reiner for being honored by Bergen County at the Hispanic Heritage Celebration for her Red Cross work on Wednesday.
• Last Tuesday, the Metro NY North chapter hosted its Annual Volunteer Recognition Night. Thank you to all our volunteers for your 24/7/365 compassion and work!
• American Red Cross Board Member and Head of Operations at Citibank, Don Callahan, rang the New York Stock Exchange Closing Bell on Monday in honor of the American Red Cross’s humanitarian efforts to support people affected by Hurrican Florence. Watch it here!

Upcoming Events

• Oct 2, 5, 8: 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 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.