The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. These are our stories.
by Sharon E. Curry, American Red Cross of Massachusetts
Sharon Curry speaks with CBS Boston reporter Kate Merrill in April of 2021. View CBS Boston’s story here.
At a past time in my life, I needed help to provide for my three sons. I was told about the American Red Cross Boston Food Pantry, and how they helped families in need of assistance. With tears in my eyes, I visited the Food Pantry, telling them my story of how I didn’t have any food for my family during the holidays. I was so overwhelmed with all the support that they gave to me. I cried all the way home (happy tears!) knowing that someone cared to help put food on my table for the holidays.
I said to myself ‘I have to help the American Red Cross because they made a way for me and my family.’ I joined the Food Pantry as a volunteer for many years nonstop until I was hired to work and help service the families in need of food assistance.
What keeps me going?
I have many purposes in life that I found over the years of working at the American Red Cross Boston Food Pantry. As I help families with their needs, I still see myself in every last one of them – mothers, grandmothers, fathers, aunts, sister, brothers, and children. If I can help one person, like American Red Cross helps millions, my purpose is fulfilled.
My perspective on the work I do comes from my mother, as I grew up in a family of nine. She has always told me her stories of her life and how she had to provide for her family. She explained that times were very hard for her, but she never gave up. The will is to make a difference in the world.
(Boston, MA 11/21/20) Mayor Martin Walsh takes a quick picture with Sharon Curry as they hand out turkey and the fixings at the American Red Cross Boston Food Pantry. (Mayor’s Office Photo by John Wilcox)
I would like people of all colors to know that it does not matter who you are – it’s what you are that matters. Who is really there to help make life’s journeys a little bit easier? The American Red Cross has done just that for me and others, and they continue to do that for families around the world.
My message is this to volunteers, employees, and donors:
Frist: Find your purpose in life. Second: Give what you have with an open heart. Third: Don’t ever give up believing in yourself. It will give you a chance in life as the American Red Cross did for me.
Thanks – Sharon E. Curry
Sharon Curry speaks to a group of volunteers during a Thanksgiving distribution in November of 2018.
Anytime there is a winter storm, you need to ensure you are ready for the possibility of losing power.
But there are things you can do today to be prepared for bad weather.
Follow the tips below to help prepare you and your family in the event that your area loses electricity. And download the Red Cross Emergency App for more helpful tips. The app can be found in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
April 23, 2024 Jeff Hall, Red Cross of Massachusetts
The phrase on most people’s lips every Marathon Monday in Boston is ‘Bucket List.’
That’s what running the Boston Marathon is to most people. The race can be very difficult to qualify for, and there are always more people wanting to run than there are spots. And that’s where the charity-team section of the marathon comes into play.
Every year Team Red Cross fields a group of 60-plus runners, all of them fulfilling a dream of ‘finishing Boston.’ Our partnership with Webster Bank in Copley Square gives Team Red Cross runners and their families a place to gather and celebrate the finish of what most consider their dream marathon.
For the last eight years, Webster Bank has been a proud sponsor of Team Red Cross. The Webster leadership team and Copley Square employees welcome the Red Cross each year to set up a home base for runners, providing a secure location for personal items, a gathering place before the marathon, and an atmosphere that welcomes and helps runners and their families celebrate their accomplishment.
Besides hosting the Marathon Monday event, Webster Bank has donated more the $100,000 dollars to support the mission of the Red Cross. They have also held employee team-building events helping our Boston Food Pantry, building food bags for distributions. Their unwavering support has helped Team Red Cross meet their fundraising goals every year.
And this year’s Team Red Cross is no different. The 60-plus runner team raised more than $611,000 to support Red Cross missions throughout the country, with final fundraising ending May 10.
April 22nd marks Earth Day every year across the globe, an annual event to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by Earthday.org.
Here in Massachusetts, the Red Cross is working toward efficiency in all our mission areas, and helping our local communities share and recycle precious resources.
Here are three ways we’re making Massachusetts a cleaner, better place to live.
We partner with Windward Trading to help recycle clothing rather than it being placed in landfills. Depository bins across Massachusetts accept clothing no longer needed. Clothing items are then processed and sorted for further use or recycled into other products. You can find a Red Cross clothing bin near you by visiting this website – https://www.redcross.org/local/massachusetts/ways-to-donate/clothing-donations.html
Our Boston Food Pantry is composting its food waste. When buying fresh produce in bulk like we do, it’s inevitable that some food will not be fit for distribution to our clients. Rather than adding the waste to a dumpster, this material is composted by a local Massachusetts company and used as fertilizer. The Boston Food Pantry is one of the only food pantries in eastern Massachusetts that composts all its food waste. Since July 2023, the pantry has recycled 18,112 pounds.
The Boston Food Pantry was recently awarded a Green Grant through the American Red Cross Green Micro Investment Program. The Green Grant funded a filtration system in the pantry for drinking water. Our volunteers are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles when working at the Pantry. The filtered water bottle filling station serves as an alternative to plastic water bottles by encouraging the use of filtered tap water rather than single-use plastics bottles.
Thank you for helping us make the 2024 Boston Heroes Breakfast a success!
More than 190 people joined together to celebrate our 2024 Class of Heroes and raised more than $775,000 to support the Red Cross mission.
Thank you again to our Event Chair and Heritage Honoree, Ronald P. O’Hanley, our Leadership and Heroes Councils, Board members, sponsors, in-kind supporters and volunteers who helped make this incredible event possible!
Thank you for being part of a special morning to celebrate the extraordinary community heroes and to make a difference in the lives of so many people helped by the American Red Cross.
MAKE YOUR IMPACT
Many of you raised your paddles during the event to make a gift in support of the Red Cross mission – thank you!
Blood Services – Dr. Anbuselvan Dharmarajan, Andover. Dr. Dharmarajan joined the Red Cross in his home country of India and led multiple disaster responses there, including the response to the tsunami of 2005. In Massachusetts, he organizes blood drives and engages youth as volunteers. He also modeled a Red Cross t-shirt in a donor recruitment campaign that generated more than 10,000 blood donation appointments. Blood Services – Dr. Anbuselvan Dharmarajan, Andover. Dr. Dharmarajan joined the Red Cross in his home country of India and led multiple disaster responses there, including the response to the tsunami of 2005. In Massachusetts, he organizes blood drives and engages youth as volunteers. He also modeled a Red Cross t-shirt in a donor recruitment campaign that generated more than 10,000 blood donation appointments.
Climate Resilience – Susan Baur, East Falmouth. Susan founded the Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage, a group of volunteers (all of whom are in their 60s, 70s and 80s) who dive in ponds across Cape Cod, removing trash and debris that has sunk to the bottom.
Emergency Professional – Mayflower Beach lifeguards, Dennis. Mikey Gray, Tyler Bois, Kam Zaheer and Justin Maykel rescued three separate swimmers who were drowning simultaneously in a high surf advisory. Two of the victims needed CPR and the third, while breathing on her own, was treated on scene by paramedics.
Firefighter – Boston Fire Chief Patrick Murphy was on his way home from a long shift working the July 4 fireworks show on the Esplanade when he passed a two-story home with heavy flames. Witnesses on scene told him there were still people inside. Despite not having his personal protective equipment available, Chief Murphy searched all floors of the burning building, urging several people who were still inside to evacuate immediately.
Good Samaritan – Allison Benkart, Scituate. Allison is CPR certified for her work as a chiropractor, but used those skills at her parents’ home, when her dad woke up with severe chest pain and trouble breathing. Minutes after calling to Allison for help, he passed out. Allison was able to perform chest compressions and have her mom call 911. Peter Benkart was treated for a 90% arterial blockage but survived thanks to Allison.
Law Enforcement – Sgt. Det. John Burrows and Ofc. Awan Freeman, Boston Police Department. Burrows and Awan both worked as medics in the military before joining BPD and have since witnessed hundreds of gunshot or stab wound victims whose lives could have been saved with immediate care prior to first responder arrival. Burrows and Freeman began training fellow officers on controlling life-threatening bleeding by packing wounds and applying tourniquets. Now, they have taken that training to the public, teaching Stop the Bleed courses in community centers and offices around Mattapan and Dorchester.
Military – Brig. Gen. Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse, Boston – Gen. Woodhouse is the oldest living member of the all-Black Tuskegee Airmen fighter pilot unit. He enlisted for WWII on the urging of his mother, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. As a Black man from Roxbury, he faced discrimination and mistreatment throughout his career, but has always been motivated by improving conditions for the next generation.
Nursing – Tina LaTorella, Winchester – Tina was walking her daughter to school before a shift as an RN at Winchester Hospital when she noticed flames coming from a house. Tina knew the family living in the house had a disabled child. She had her daughter call 911, then ran to the house knocking on doors and making sure everyone got out safely while the fire department responded.
Youth – Lilly Campbell, Brockton – 10-year-old Lilly has watched her older brother Isaiah live with the painful symptoms of sickle cell disease her entire life. She decided to help by making and selling bracelets to raise awareness and funds for sickle cell warriors. Each Better Beads by Lilly bracelet includes two little red beads to signify sickle cell.
The International Services Monthly Activity Update provides a brief snapshot of significant international disaster events that the American Red Cross is currently responding to and monitoring. This update will also feature clips of stories, blog posts and photos published on redcross.org and affiliated sites about our ongoing international work. Information within this report is compiled from several sources including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the U.S. Agency for International Development and involved Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies.
A series of earthquakes caused significant damage across western Afghanistan beginning on October 7 between 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. local time. The first was a 6.3 magnitude earthquake, with the epicenter in Zinda Jan district, approximately 30 miles northwest of Herat. A second 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the same region on October 11, followed by two aftershocks of 5 magnitude and 4.1 magnitude.
The destruction in Herat was extensive, resulting in the flattening of entire villages in Zinda Jan district and damage to many houses in Ghoryan and Robot Sangy districts. Reports indicate that some 2,000 houses have been destroyed or damaged. With the upcoming impacts of winter looming, it is now a race against time to deliver immediate assistance while taking measures to ensure that affected people, especially those exposed to the elements after their homes were destroyed, are protected.
Authorities have reported more than 2,400 deaths and over 9,200 injuries. Women and children comprise a majority of the casualties since the most catastrophic earthquake struck at a time when they were indoors preparing for lunch.
Immediate needs include food aid, cash assistance, emergency shelter and household items. There is also a focus on emergency health care, mental support and clean water and sanitation.
Afghan Red Crescent Society volunteer provides aid to a child affected by the devastating earthquake in Herat province, Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, this earthquake is a compounded tragedy for Afghanistan, which is already wrestling with one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Nearly 29 million people needed urgent assistance prior to the earthquake, following decades of conflict, severe drought, flooding and extreme economic hardship.
The Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) is leading the response. ARCS teams have reached the affected villages and executed search and rescue efforts, as well as management of injuries.
“The Afghan Red Crescent Society’s tireless efforts in this catastrophic situation cannot be overstated,” said Alexander Matheou, IFRC Regional Director for Asia Pacific. “They’ve been first responders, reaching affected areas swiftly and delivering crucial assistance. We have managed to redirect essential supplies and mobile health facilities to the most impacted areas within a day, thanks to our network of trained volunteers and responders.”
The American Red Cross is monitoring the situation in coordination the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network to assist the Afghan Red Crescent as requested.
Tropical Storm Daniel made landfall northeastern Libya on September 10. The storm caused severe weather conditions, including strong winds and sudden heavy rainfall, triggering widespread floods in major population centers.
In Derna, a port city in eastern Libya with a population of about 100,000, the storm damaged roadways and disrupted telecommunications networks, and thousands of people were affected by powerful mudslides. Dams were breached, causing flooding that reached three meters in height, sweeping entire neighborhoods into the sea.
Affected provinces by Tropical Storm Daniel and the subsequent flooding.
Source: IFRC
The flooding claimed the lives of thousands of people, including three Libyan Red Crescent volunteers who lost their lives while trying to save others. According to the Libyan government, more than 9,700 people have died and over 8,000 are still missing months after the flooding and as a result, are assumed dead.
Additionally, the damage to infrastructure was severe – there have been reports of substantial damage to education and health facilities. Approximately 30,000 buildings were damaged, leaving over 43,000 individuals still displaced more than a month after the storm. Most of the flood affected households have lost basic household items such as clothes, blankets, mattresses and cooking utensils. Fortunately, as of mid-October, road have been reopened and basic services have been restored.
Emergency shelter, health services, mental health services, access to clean water and proper sanitation, remain critical needs at this time. Another priority for people living in the affected area is immediate food assistance, including ready-to-eat meals, dry rations, and nutritional support for infants and young children.
The Libya Red Crescent Society (LRCS) emergency teams were mobilized ahead of the storm and have been responding to the devastating impact of the storm floods from the beginning. LRCS is continuing to respond to the immediate needs through the deployment of search and rescue teams, protection teams which provide restoring family links and dead body management services, and relief teams which are distributing the supplies.
To support the Libyan Red Crescent Society’s relief efforts, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has issued an appeal for more than $11M over 15 months. The appeal serves as a framework by which the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network will mobilize assistance from their respective countries and is focused on basic assistance including the distribution of relief supplies, essential household items, shelter support, access to health and mental health services, access to clean water, and early recovery programming to the hardest hit population of 200,000 most vulnerable people.
The American Red Cross has technical support to the operation by activating one disaster response specialist for information management to support the Red Crescent response to this crisis.
Mexico – Hurricane
Hurricane Otis began as an active tropical cyclone in the eastern Pacific Ocean, originating from a disturbance several hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec on October 22, 2023. Within just 24 hours, it had developed into a tropical storm, and then strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane by October 24. The storm rapidly intensified as it moved over exceptionally warm ocean waters near the coast, and ultimately escalated from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane, the highest level on the Sar-Simpson scale, by the time in made landfall in the early hours of October 25th.
Hurricane Otis struck Acapulco, located on the southern Pacific coast of Mexico in the Guerrero State, bringing wind speeds of estimated to be 165 mph. The storm brought significant challenges to the region, including heavy rainfall and strong winds, resulting in flooding and landslides. In the immediate aftermath, access and communication to the affected areas was completely cut off. An initial analysis of the situation notes that the Federal Government estimates damage to 98% of homes and 80% of hotels in Acapulco. About 274,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, and about 120 hospitals and clinics have been severely impacted.
Guerrero ranks among the top give states with the highest poverty index in Mexico with a 66% poverty index. The impact of Hurricane Otis leaves an already vulnerable population in a bigger state of vulnerability. The affected region primarily relies on tourism, service, and agricultural industries as a big part of its economy which has been severely disrupted.
Mexican Red Cross distributing humanitarian assistance.
In response to Hurricane Otis’ devastation, the Mexican Red Cross (MRC) mobilized quickly, providing humanitarian aid to the impacted region. MRC activated its emergency response with an initial shipment of food and relief packages, deployed search and rescue teams in Acapulco, and supported damage and needs assessments in the most affected areas. As of November 16, MRC has provided more than 2,600 tons of humanitarian aid reaching more than 640,000 people. Additionally, they have served over 2,300 meals, restored contact for some 1,500 families, and performed medical services to nearly 7,300 people.
The American Red Cross is coordinating with the Mexican Red Cross to mobilize assistance to the affected communities.
Middle East Humanitarian Crisis
The sudden outbreak of violent conflict in Israel and Gaza is devastating for so many. From the start of this heartbreaking conflict, Red Cross and Red Crescent teams have worked to help those who need it most. Staff and volunteers in Israel and Gaza are providing life-saving aid and emergency services, supporting reunification for families of those held hostage or detained, and working to restore essential services in the most impacted areas.
Throughout the region, the needs are great, and the suffering is immense. Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s national society, has mobilized 1,500 ambulances, and staff and volunteers are tirelessly tending to the wounded and deceased. Teams are supporting health authorities by collecting and distributing tens of thousands of units of blood and evacuating the sickest patients from danger-prone areas.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) is working amid extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances to provide critical emergency assistance, including ambulance and health services. PRCS teams are the leading provider of emergency services in Palestine and their ambulance centers and hospitals continue to operate at the highest capacity despite the lack of essential supplies, including critical fuel and medicine.
Sadly, both Magen David Adom and Palestine Red Crescent staff and volunteers have lost their lives during this conflict. The American Red Cross supports the heroic work of these national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies and mourns the staff killed in the line of duty. To ensure critical humanitarian efforts continue, the American Red Cross stands firmly with the global Red Cross Movement in calling for civilians, medical workers, health facilities and aid workers to be protected.
While aid has finally begun to cross into Gaza at the Rafah border, it is not nearly enough for the over 2.2 million people in need. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is coordinating with staff in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt to ensure critical aid supplies are prepositioned for immediate delivery as humanitarian corridors continue to open. Officials continue to call for the ability to safely deliver this aid regularly and at scale.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has maintained a presence in the area for decades, has helped facilitate the release of some hostages and transported them out of Gaza to be reunited with their families. As a neutral, humanitarian organization, the ICRC continues to pursue every possible avenue to secure the release of hostages, calling for urgent, immediate access to all those all those detained in the hostilities and for all sides to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. The ICRC is in constant communication with both parties and third-party actors to coordinate humanitarian access and response. Their neutrality is essential to do this life-saving work. The ICRC is also in regular contact with the families of the missing and remains dedicated to locating all who are being held as soon as the situation permits.
In addition, ICRC experts are on the ground in Gaza including a war surgery team and a weapons contamination specialist. ICRC trucks have also entered carrying urgently needed medical materials and water purification supplies, increasing capacity to support hospitals and deliver life-saving trauma surgery, as well as to assist people desperate for clean drinking water.
The American Red Cross has pledged $8 million to the ICRC to support its reunification efforts and other essential services and pledged $2 million to the IFRC to support passage of goods from Egypt into Gaza, as well as the urgent needs of evacuees arriving in Egypt.
The American Red Cross is committed to supporting the global Red Cross Movement and all those working to provide humanitarian aid during this devastating and heartbreaking time.
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the central region of Morocco during the night of September 8, 2023, just after 11 p.m. local time. According to the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) report, approximately 320,000 people were exposed to the earthquake with the remote villages nestled in the High Atlas Mountains, right at the earthquake’s epicenter, suffering substantial losses.
While the epicenter of the earthquake was not densely populated, the impact on local structures was significant. Several cities, notably Marrakesh, Taroudant, Asmiz, and Chichaoua have suffered heavy damage. Many affected families have been sleeping in open air or improvised collective shelters since the earthquake hit. Damage to housing and a lack of available resources in the affected areas have led to high levels of internal displacement as families move to urban areas in search of humanitarian assistance.
Map of the impacted area for the Morocco Earthquake.
Source: IFRC
Months into the operation, the focus has shifted from search and rescue to more holistic support, with health care, sanitation, and mental health gaining prominence. Furthermore, there has been a transition in needs from general basic necessities to specific non-food items, highlighting the evolving and layered requirements of the affected population as they move from immediate crisis to recovery.
Much of the affected population requires shelter assistance due to the major structural damages to their homes. As colder weather approaches, especially given the hardest hit area was the mountainous region, urgent priorities include tents, blankets, and warm clothing. Additionally, colder temperatures will increase the likelihood of people cooking indoors and using gas heaters, emphasizing the need to ensure sufficient supply of fuel and equipment.
While temporary tent classrooms provide a short-term solution to shelter needs, halted education exposes children to potential exploitation. Vulnerable groups, including children, women, the elderly, and marginalized individuals, face intensified vulnerabilities and require specialized protection, support, and safety measures. Efforts are being made by Moroccan associations to mitigate risks, especially for women and children.
According to the government, the affected areas’ most urgent needs include food; shelter support; non-food items; water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies; health care and medical supplies; and cash assistance.
The Moroccan Red Crescent Society (MRCS) teams were on the ground immediately, coordinating closely with the local authorities to assess the situation and provide help to affected people. About 230 volunteers have been mobilized and are coordinating immediate relief activities with local authorities and other agencies. MRCS has released tents from its stocks, provided food and drinking water to affected families, provided first aid, transported injured people to health centers, supported dead body management, and is running a national blood donation campaign. MRCS is also providing psychosocial services to the affected population as people cope with the trauma of this emergency.
To support the Moroccan Red Crescent to scale up their relief efforts, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has issued an appeal for more than $112M over 24 months to support the Moroccan Red Crescent. The appeal serves as a framework by which the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network will mobilize assistance from their respective countries and is focused on basic assistance including the distribution of relief supplies, essential household items, shelter support, access to health and mental health services, access to clean water, and early recovery programming to the hardest hit population of 500,000 most vulnerable people.
The American Red Cross has provided technical support to the operation by deploying three disaster response specialists to assist with operational coordination and information management needs.
The American Red Cross, along with Red Cross Societies around the world, have issued appeals for donations to support relief efforts in Israel and Gaza following weeks of conflict. Ongoing support is needed as this crisis continues to develop.
The global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is made up of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the 191 national societies across the globe. Together, these three entities make up the world’s largest humanitarian network which helps people facing crises all over the world.
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan on October 7, causing significant destruction and damage to Herat and the surrounding communities. The Afghan Red Crescent Society swiftly mobilized response teams to provide assistance and relief efforts across the affected areas.
The international armed conflict in Ukraine escalated in February 2022, and remains ongoing with no clear end in sight. Since the escalation of the conflict, the global Red Cross network has stood by and assisted people as they have faced the most heartbreaking of circumstances.
Ola Alani, a Restoring Family Links (RFL) volunteer with the Northern California Coastal Region, has long dreamed of being a part of the American Red Cross and helping others. Her childhood dream has come true, as she helps people separated by armed conflict or disasters.
To Learn More About Our Work at Home and Around the World:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
The International Services Monthly Activity Update provides a brief snapshot of significant international disaster events that the American Red Cross is currently responding to and monitoring. This update will also feature clips of stories, blog posts and photos published on redcross.org and affiliated sites about our ongoing international work. Information within this report is compiled from several sources including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the U.S. Agency for International Development and involved Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies.
Dominican Republic – Floods
At the beginning of June 2023, the Dominican Republic experienced numerous incidents of urban and rural flooding, river overflowing, and landslides. The National Meteorological Office (ONAMET) attributed these events to the presence of a trough at various levels of the troposphere, along with the passage of a tropical wave over the Caribbean Sea. These weather phenomena led to increased humidity and instability, resulting in heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and strong wind gusts. The affected areas spanned several provinces, including Azua, Barahona, Bahoruco, Dajabón, Elías Piña, Espaillat, Independencia, La Vega, Pedernales, Santiago, and Santiago Rodríguez.
Map of areas most affected by floods in the Dominican Republic.
Source: IFRC
The impacts from the flooding have been widespread, including damage to more than 800 homes in the Valverde Province and nearly 200 homes in the municipality of Jimani. The flooding also caused the La Ciénega River to overflow, which triggered landslides in the surrounding areas. These landslides cut off communication and roads between several communities, as well as damage to 150 homes and collapse of the electricity system in San José de Ocóa.
In the province of Azua, especially in the municipality of Padre las Casas, reports show that the overflowing of rivers and ravines left approximately 20,000 people without water services. The lack of water services has led to an increase in diarrheic diseases and confirmed cases of cholera, according to a public health report from June 7.
Dominican Red Cross volunteers conduct initial damage and needs assessment following the floods.
Source: Dominican Red Cross
As part of the relief operation, the Dominican Red Cross aims to provide humanitarian assistance to families affected by the floods in the provinces of Azua, Bahoruco, Barahona, Dajabón, Elías Piña and Independencia. The efforts aim to assist more than 2,000 families with shelter; health services; water, sanitation, hygiene; livelihood and basic needs. The American Red Cross has provided a specialist to assist with the implementation of a cash assistance program.
Greece – Wildfires (Monitoring – Not Actively Responding)
Wildfires erupted in Greece on July 18, 2023. In a 24-hour period, more than 60 wildfires impacted parts of the country, with the most significant concerns in Rhodes, Corfu and Evia Islands. The largest wildfires burned across central Rhodes Island.
As of late July, approximately 19,000 people were evacuated across Kiotari, Gennadi, Pylon, Laerma, Lardos, Lindos, Kalathos, Malona, Asklepieion, Pefkos, Massari, and Haraki villages throughout the island. This represents the largest operation of evacuations for wildfires ever carried out in Greece.
The Hellenic Red Cross, in coordination with government authorities, is active across the country providing critical assistance at the front lines battling wildfires, as well as providing relief to first responders and affected communities as they face the wildfires and sweltering heat conditions. This assistance and relief includes care such as health and mental health services, health tips to cope with the heatwave and distribution of cold water to both community members and visitors across Greece.
Hellenic Red Cross responding to the wildfires that erupted in late July.
International assistance has not been requested. The American Red Cross is monitoring the situation as it develops in coordination with the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network.
Türkiye – Earthquake
In February 2023, two powerful earthquakes and multiple aftershocks rocked southern Türkiye, causing catastrophic damage and taking more than 50,000 lives. Countless others were injured, and millions of people were displaced from their homes across Türkiye and in neighboring areas of northern Syria.
Food distributions for people affected by the earthquake in Türkiye.
Source: IFRC
The Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) has led relief efforts in Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent has led relief efforts in Syria. Both national societies have been supported by the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network.
Since the beginning of the response, thousands of Turkish Red Crescent volunteers and staff have helped people impacted across more than 50 provinces as teams support assessments, distribute food and other supplies, provide people with psychosocial support, collect blood donations, and plan for cash distributions. As of the beginning of June, the Turkish Red Crescent has provided over 416 million hot meals and distributed more than 10 million relief items. Turkish Red Crescent has also provided more than 115,000 households with cash assistance.
The needs have continued to evolve in the months following the earthquakes, and the Red Cross and Red Crescent support progressed appropriately. This included providing cash assistance and mental health services to earthquake survivors, helping to transition those impacted to their next phase in the recovery process.
Many individuals and families continue to live in the earthquake zone in Türkiye, seeking shelter in emergency centers and tented camps, and remain deeply traumatized from what they have seen and all that they have lost. To help them cope with the heartbreaking aftermath of these earthquakes, Red Crescent teams have made referrals to health care facilities, set up safe spaces for children to play and provided mental health and psychosocial support, including first responders and health workers.
“We have seen astounding resiliency in communities, but people still find themselves stuck in a very difficult situation,” said Ruben Cano, IFRC Head of Delegation in Türkiye. “Many people in Türkiye — particularly those who lost their homes and income — are still struggling with their day-to-day needs, including paying for food, rent and other necessities. A ‘normal’ life is still far from reach.”
Meanwhile in Syria, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) has been active critical relief and assistance to people affected by the earthquake. Conditions have already been dire as 12 years of conflict and crisis have been compounded by this disaster. Thousands of SARC volunteers have provided more than 12.6 million humanitarian services to earthquake survivors.
The American Red Cross alongside the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network continue to support ongoing relief efforts of the Turkish Red Crescent and Syrian Arab Red Crescent.
The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitations (ILCOR) officially welcomed the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as a collaborating member in June 2023 to help advance the mission of saving more lives globally.
Six months after the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, the events have significantly impacted the lives of millions. The American Red Cross has supported the response with financial assistance and staff deployment and will continue to work alongside the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network.
Cissy Wang, National Youth Council Member, attended the XXII Red Cross Inter-American Conference June 5 – 8, 2023. The goal of the conference was to help strengthen the commitment of National Societies in the Americas to harness their auxiliary role and influence of humanitarian actions in disaster law.
To Learn More About Our Work at Home and Around the World:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
The International Services Monthly Activity Update provides a brief snapshot of significant international disaster events that the American Red Cross is currently responding to and monitoring. This update will also feature clips of stories, blog posts and photos published on redcross.org and affiliated sites about our ongoing international work. Information within this report is compiled from several sources including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the U.S. Agency for International Development and involved Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies.
Canada – Wildfires (Monitoring – Not Actively Responding)
Wildfires across Canada are having a record-setting year in 2023, burning millions of acres across the country. On May 6, 2023, the province of Alberta was the first to declare a state of emergency as more than 90 wildfires burned in the northern part of the province. Numerous communities and tens of thousands of people were on evacuation orders or alerts. The fires continued to burn coast to coast and now have begun to impact Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada, resulting in mass evacuations.
As of late June, more than 480 wildfires continued to burn in Canada. More than half of these fires have been burning out of control and already consumed as many as 7.9 million acres.
These dangerous wildfires are causing significant damage and sending tremendous amounts of smoke into the atmosphere. The thick bands of smoke from the wildfires in Canada have affected much of the United States during the month of June and stretching as far as Europe.
The Canadian Red Cross is on the ground assisting communities affected by the fires. The Canadian Red Cross in coordination with government authorities has mobilized teams to support the response by opening shelters and comfort centers for people forced from their homes; providing people with basic necessities like food and clothing; and as the situation continues to develop, providing psychosocial support to affected individuals to help cope with hardship and loss. As people return to their homes, the Canadian Red Cross is also working closely with their government to provide financial assistance to people affected by the fires.
International Assistance has not been requested. However, the American Red Cross is monitoring the situation in coordination with the Canadian Red Cross.
Italy – Floods (Monitoring – Not Actively Responding)
In the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, a total of 80 hours of rainfall occurred from significant and prolonged storms in the beginning part of May. The increased rainfall continued throughout the month and resulted in severe flooding across the region. This flooding caused more than 20 rivers to overflow and triggered thousands of landslides which resulted in casualties and widespread damage. Italian authorities have reported 36,000 people have evacuated and more than 500 roads have been closed across the region due to landslides.
Photo: Italian Red Cross
The Italian Red Cross has mobilized more than 400 Red Cross volunteers and staff, including volunteers specialized in rescue in flood environments, to support the rescue and relief operation in the region. They have been supporting vital services emergency rescue, evacuation operations, emergency sheltering and other critical services. The Italian Red Cross has also mobilized health and mental health teams to provide assistance to people affected by this disaster. Hundreds of vehicles such as bobcats, mini-excavators, water pumps, field kitchens and ambulances have been supporting clean up and evacuation of affected communities.
The President of the Italian Red Cross, Rosario Valastro, expressed his heartfelt recognition towards all the rescuers who are working to help the affected population and territories. “We are deeply concerned and sympathetic to the people experiencing dramatic hours. Also in this emergency, as always, the Italian Red Cross, operating within the Civil Protection system, provides trained operators and the means to guarantee immediate assistance.”
International assistance has not been requested, and the American Red Cross is not accepting donations.
Malawi – Tropical Cyclone Freddy
Tropical Cyclone Freddy made landfall on February 21 on the eastern coast of Madagascar, near Mananjary. Tropical Cyclone Freddy made landfall on March 11 close to the border between Mozambique and the southern tip of Malawi. The weather system slightly weakened before landing but sustained wind gusts of more than 110 mph, causing a storm surge and damage to houses and critical infrastructure, including schools.
The impact from Tropical Storm Freddy in Southern Malawi.
Photo: IFRC
According to Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), more than 500 people lost their lives and approximately 286,000 people have been displaced in the hardest-hit districts. In addition, more than 190,000 livestock are dead with over 490,000 acres of agricultural land severely impacted. Such impact on the livestock and agricultural produce has further aggravated the concurrent food insecurity across Malawi. An estimated 3.8 million people in Malawi are facing severe acute food insecurity, with high food prices, the depletion of food stocks, and the lean season (November–March). In urban areas, the disaster has shocked the normal daily income generating businesses and other services required for daily living. Some markets are currently inaccessible due to poor access while the few shops that are reachable are showing high inflation due to increased demand.
OCHA reports over 500 schools were damaged or destroyed, thereby impacting over 270,000 learners. Some of the schools are used as camps for humanitarian relief and resources. Malawi is concurrently impacted by the cholera outbreak. It is projected that the adverse impact of Cyclone Freddy on water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure will only exacerbate the cholera outbreak and the public hygiene.
Through an Emergency Appeal, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is seeking 6 million CHF over 9 months to support the Malawi Red Cross Society to meet the needs of up to 160,000 people affected by food insecurity. The appeal focuses on livelihood and basic needs; health and nutrition; water, sanitation and hygiene; protection, gender, and inclusion; community, engagement and accountability; and disaster risk reduction.
The American Red Cross has contributed $420,000 to the IFRC emergency appeal to assist the Malawi Red Cross Society in facilitating access to cash voucher assistance to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable people affected by the floods. The American Red Cross also sent a Response Lead to Malwai to evaluate the ongoing response activities. This includes a visit to some of the shelters built in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ana with the support of the American Red Cross. These shelters were able to withstand the impact of Tropical Cyclone Freddy. Meanwhile they supported a coordinated call with USAID to provide an update on the global Red Cross response in Malawi. More than 3 months after the storm’s impact, Red Cross activities reliefs remain ongoing to aid cyclone affected communities.
Mediterranean – Migration Crisis
On Wednesday June 14, a fishing boat capsized in international waters more than 50 miles southwest of Pylos in southern Greece, in one of the deepest areas in the Mediterranean. It was anticipated that 400 – 750 people were onboard, but only 100 individuals were able to be rescued. The remaining passengers were found deceased or are missing and believed to be dead. This is the deadliest shipwreck off Greece in several years – the first quarter of 2023 has been the deadliest in Central Mediterranean since 2017.
The boat had sailed from the Libyan town of Tobruk, which lies south of the Greek island of Crete, with most on board being young men in their 20s. The Coast Guard said the boat, which was heading towards Italy, was spotted in international waters late on June 13 by an aircraft belonging to European Union border agency, Frontex and two nearby vessels. It said those on board had refused assistance offered by Greek authorities. A few hours later the boat capsized and sank, triggering a massive search-and-rescue operation mounted by the Hellenic Coast Guard.
The Hellenic Red Cross (HRC), with the specialized nursing staff and the volunteers of the Health Sector of the Kalamata Regional Department assisted from the first moment the survivors of the wreck. Volunteer Samaritans-Rescuers of the HRC were also deployed and supported more than 80 migrants (including 20 children), providing first aid and distributing food and basic necessities while offering psychological support to the rescued migrants. The main health problems faced are secondary drowning, shortness of breath, dehydration, asthma attacks, high fever, exhaustion, dysuria, hematuria, and otitis.
The crisis in the Mediterranean has been ongoing as early as 2014 with millions of people fleeing violence, economic insecurity, and many other complex reasons. The American Red Cross has long supported this response with financial and human resources support, most recently deploying four specialists across several years starting in 2021. These four specialists were stationed on rescue ships to help migrants who have made this dangerous journey. The American Red Cross will continue to monitor the situation in coordination with the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Network.
As the world’s largest humanitarian network, Red Cross and Red Crescent teams have long delivered relief to refugees, migrants and asylum seekers around the globe. The American Red Cross, along with the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network, are guided by the seven fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. This means we provide services to people who need them in times of emergency—regardless of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation or citizenship status. More information about how the American Red Cross helps migrants, refugees and asylum seekers can be found here.
Myanmar – Tropical Cyclone Mocha
Tropical Cyclone Mocha made landfall on May 14, 2023 in Myanmar as an extremely severe cyclonic storm with winds gusting up to 155 mph. The tropical cyclone caused storm surges in excess of six feet, strong winds and very significant rainfall with heavy inundation reported in low-lying areas of Rakhine, particularly in and around the state capital Sittwe. Houses, sanitation facilities, and public infrastructure were damaged or destroyed by the cyclone, including hospitals, transport infrastructure (e.g., roads and airports), a water dam, and agricultural land while equipment was washed away.
Myanmar Red Cross Society volunteers observing the damage by Cyclone Mocha in Thet Kal Pyin village in Sittwe Township, Rakhine State.
Photo: Myanmar Red Cross Society
According to the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), over 1.1 million individuals from over 237,000 households were affected. A large number of semi-permanent and temporary shelters were damaged or destroyed, leaving over 200,000 houses in need of repair. In addition, water systems, sanitation facilities, public and community infrastructure, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and religious buildings, as well as transportation infrastructure, suffered severe damage or complete destruction.
The cyclone’s aftermath has led to increased prices of basic goods, and the situation has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of the affected population. Disrupted access to healthcare, medicine shortages, and the risks posed by landmines in flooded conflict areas further exacerbate the challenges. Urgent measures are required to protect and support unaccompanied children, the needs of women and girls and other populations in situations of vulnerability.
Since February 2021, the overall country context in Myanmar has been complex and insecure due to the extent of civic disorder and armed clashes. The economic situation remains fragile and almost half the population in the country is estimated to be living in poverty due to the political crisis and the preexisting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Rakhine state and the Northwest area, there were already an estimated six million people in need of humanitarian assistance and 1.2 million people internally displaced. The impact of the cyclone is expected to exacerbate such pre-existing vulnerabilities, especially for the displaced.
The IFRC released an Emergency Appeal for CHF 5 million over 12 months to support the Myanmar Red Cross Society to meet the needs of up to 37,500 people affected by the cyclone. The appeal focuses on livelihood and basic needs; multi-purpose cash assistance; health and nutrition; water, sanitation and hygiene; protection, gender, and inclusion; community, engagement and accountability; and disaster risk reduction.
The American Red Cross has contributed $300,000 to the IFRC emergency appeal to support the efforts of the Myanmar Red Cross Society.
Pakistan – Monsoon Floods
During the 2022 monsoon season, Pakistan faced its worst flooding in decades. Unprecedented monsoon rains started in June 2022 and tripled the national 30-year average. The Government of Pakistan officially declared a national emergency on August 25, 2022. The rains caused widespread flooding and landslides, with severe impacts on livelihoods, homes, and infrastructure.
More than 33 million people were impacted by the floods, triggering waves of displacement and an increase in water-borne diseases and food inaccessibility. According to the country’s National Disaster Management Authority over 1,700 people, including 630 children, died and at least 13,000 people were injured.
Nearly a year since the floods, Pakistan is currently facing an imminent nutrition crisis, which has been aggravated by pre-existing high rates of malnutrition in flood-affected regions. Of particular concern is the increasing malnutrition among young children, as undernutrition accounts for nearly half of all deaths in children under five. Twenty percent of children under five in Pakistan suffer from severe and moderate acute malnutrition rates at 8 percent and 9.7 percent, respectively.
According to WHO (World Health Organization), around 8 million flood-affected people need healthcare assistance, with risks of the number increasing as the displaced population slowly returning to their communities with damaged infrastructure, inadequate access to safe water and sanitation facilities, and stagnant water. Families are left with no option but to consume and use potentially contaminated water as around 10 million. Individuals still lack access to a secure source of drinking water. This has increased the risk of waterborne illnesses among these affected communities. With summer approaching, the need for immediate assistance to combat the weather is dire. Access to necessities of shelter, food and household items is further heightened especially in the context of extreme temperature changes, especially in the province of Sindh.
“Our children started to fall sick, one after the other following the floods. We were stranded here with no roof over our heads and no access to hospitals. We were distraught and couldn’t think straight,” said one of the residents of Dadu District, Sindh.
Photo: IFRC
In 2023, the heavy monsoon rains have returned and are causing damage to a country that has already experienced devastating floods. Since May 2023, Pakistan has experienced by heavy rain, severe sandstorms, thunderstorms, and hailstorms, causing extensive damage to properties and crops. On June 10, at least 31 people were killed and 160 were injured by rain-related incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. The districts of Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Karak, and Lakki Marwat reported 28 fatalities, while three schools suffered partial damage and two houses were destroyed.
Monsoon season in Pakistan officially started at the beginning of July and will continue until September. However, based on the pre-season flooding that has already occurred, flooding and landslides are expected again this year and could cause even more damage to areas that were impacted last year.
The IFRC released an Emergency Appeal for 40 million CHF to support the Pakistan Red Crescent Society. The IFRC aims to assist one million people over 16 months through this emergency appeal. The priority areas of support include preventative public health interventions, including rehabilitation of water and sanitation facilities and hygiene campaigns for the prevention of disease transmission; increased access to health services; maternal and child health care interventions; shelter items and winterization support in cold areas; and assistance to meet basic needs and recover livelihoods. Following last year’s floods, the Pakistan Red Crescent used its learnings to train it’s staff and volunteers as well as pre-position supplies at its provincial branches to better respond to future flood emergencies.
The American Red Cross has contributed $382,000 to the IFRC emergency appeal, bringing the total contribution to $682,000, to assist the Pakistan Red Crescent Society in providing cash and voucher assistance for food security and livelihoods; and water, sanitation and hygiene needs to meet some of the needs of those affected by the flood. The American Red Cross also provided technical support to the operation by deploying a disaster response specialist to support operational coordination.
Sri Lanka – Complex Emergency
An economic crisis compounded by several factors sparked civil unrest and food insecurity in Sri Lanka. The containment measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, foreign direct investment (FDI), and trade, resulting in a rapid decline of foreign currency income for the country.
The current crisis in Sri Lanka is affecting the public, private and social sectors and has created the conditions for increased vulnerability, poverty, and destitution. In October 2022, approximately 9.6 million people fell below the international poverty line for lower-and-middle-income countries. More than 60 percent of families are eating less and eating cheaper, low-nutritious foods. This comes at a time when financial constraints have forced the government to scale back on nutrition programs, such as school meals and fortified food to mothers and undernourished children. According to UN OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), an estimated 5.7 million people or more are now in need of humanitarian assistance, with at least 4.9 million being food insecure.
School Children having nutritional foods under the school feeding program in Kandy district. Sri Lanka Red Cross Society has initiated a ‘School Feeding’ program in thirteen districts.
Photo: Sri Lankan Red Cross Society
The Government of Sri Lanka announced several tax increases to reduce the fiscal deficit and limited the import of essential items to save its foreign currency reserves. Protests erupted due to the resulting shortages and sharp increase in food prices including milk, dhal/lentils, locally produced vegetables, rice, bread, wheat flour, cooking gas, fertilizer, and fuel. Medications and medical consumables are also in short supply.
The IFRC issued an Emergency Appeal of CHF 28 million appeal over 18 months to assist up to 500,000 people. The appeal focuses on livelihood and basic needs; health and nutrition; water, sanitation, and hygiene; protection, gender, and inclusion; disaster risk reduction; education; and community engagement and accountability.
The American Red Cross has contributed $300,000 to the IFRC emergency appeal to assist the Sri Lankan Red Cross Society in providing cash and voucher assistance and nutritious food for school children to meet the needs of those affected by the emergency.
Ukraine – Humanitarian Crisis
It has been more than 500 days since the Ukrainian Humanitarian Crisis amplified. Armed conflict continues in Ukraine and the humanitarian needs are spreading to many countries across Europe and around the world. It is estimated that the number of people affected by the ongoing crisis is approximately 27 million inside and outside of Ukraine.
People affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine are living in damaged buildings that do not offer protection from harsh weather conditions. Communities are without power, running water, and heating in parts of the country, with many struggling to access drinking water and food. Displacement, severed familial connections, witnessing atrocities, and other life-threatening events have immense and often long-lasting negative consequences on people’s mental health.
Federation-Wide Response Overview as of June 20, 2023.
Photo: IFRC
In addition to the immediate suffering caused by the conflict, there are broader dimensions to its impact. This includes damage to civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, such as hospitals and schools, disruption to food production and exports, mass displacement within the region, and increased risks of conflict-related sexual violence, trafficking for exploitation, abuse of people in vulnerable situations, and violence related to displacement.
The impacts of the ongoing hostilities are not limited to those directly affected by the conflict: communities worldwide, in particular host communities, experience difficulties due to protracted displacement and economic crisis that have exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities. Already under immense pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic downturn, public health and social security systems in host communities have been further stressed by the international armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Within this environment of overlapping crises, the humanitarian implications grow, generating protracted and diversified needs within health, migration, shelter, and livelihoods – all of which demand a comprehensive response.
Currently, the IFRC funding requirements for this emergency appeal are 800 million CHF. The operation now supports 18 National Societies and their response plans targeting 22.6 million affected people. The Federation-wide response is focused on health and care; mental health and psychosocial support; water, sanitation and hygiene; shelter, housing and settlements; livelihoods; multi-purpose cash; protection, gender and inclusion; community engagement and accountability; and migration.
Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) volunteers provide shelter with household appliances to the shelter for internally displaced persons located in the village of Velyki Luchky, Mukachevo district, to provide assistance and improve the living conditions of people who have been forced to leave their homes and have taken refuge in a compact settlement, making them more comfortable.
Photo: URCS
As of early February 2023, the American Red Cross has spent or made commitments to spend $101.5 million $148 million to the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis and remain committed to assist with the immediate and ongoing relief efforts as this crisis continues to develop.
Last year, more than 100 million people were forcibly displaced globally — a record number propelled by the war in Ukraine and other conflicts around the world. To recognize the strength and courage of those forced to flee their home countries, World Refugee Day was celebrated on June 20.
Three nurses from the United States – Captain Brandi Branch, Patricia Chappell, and Captain Carlos Mendoza – are among this year’s recipients of the Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest Red Cross international distinction a nurse can receive.
To Learn More About Our Work at Home and Around the World: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
June 19th is World Sickle Cell Awareness Day. June 19th is also the day we celebrate Juneteenth, an especially meaningful holiday for Black Americans.
Blood transfusions are one of the most important treatments for sickle cell warriors. Did you know that the chances of a successful transfusion increase when the blood comes from someone of a similar race or ethnicity? That’s why African American blood donors are so important! Less than 3% of U.S. blood donors are African American. You can help us reduce this disparity and directly support sickle cell warriors by pledging to donate blood today!
It’s a day to celebrate and rejoice in blackness, in our history, in our strength, in our joy, in our pride, and in our love for one another. There is a shortage of black and brown blood donors and I think, speaking from my own journey to becoming a donor, that many people don’t donate simply because they lack awareness. Awareness of the specific extremes suffered by Sickle Cell patients, awareness about exactly WHY receiving blood from someone with genetics as close to your own as possible, can literally be the difference between life and death, awareness of the statistics of Sickle Cell, the extremely high percentage of sufferers being of African descent….etc. Sickle Cell patients are part of our community.
We need to all take care of each other, especially on the day that honors the strength of Black people, our resilience is our legacy. By donating blood, we are strengthening the resilience of not only Sickle Cell Patients, but the resilience of the Black Community as a whole.
Let’s look out for each other in unity and truly honor the spirit of Juneteenth!
Every year we take a pause to appreciate and celebrate the exceptional volunteer talent that enables the Red Cross to remain a symbol, a beacon for millions of people, right here in our communities across Massachusetts. We honor volunteers from across Massachusetts, in our four chapters. Below are this year’s honorees.
Southeastern Massachusetts
After retiring from the Postal Service in 2019, Bill began volunteering with the Red Cross because he wanted to find a worthwhile organization with which to volunteer. He currently holds a volunteer supervisory position as well as the position of DAT Lead for the Southeast. He finds that the greatest reward is being able to assist people in their time of need by listening to them, providing comfort, guidance, and assistance. Bill said, “When you leave a fire scene, it is uplifting when someone hugs you or simply says thank you for helping them through a difficult time.” A proponent of in-person responses, Bill believes that the personal touch we provide on-scene goes a long way in letting people know that someone cares about their wellbeing.
The best advice he could give to a new DAT volunteer is to slow down and take time to listen and talk with clients and to make them as comfortable as possible before beginning the intake process. The Red Cross provides volunteers with many opportunities and each volunteer can craft their own path depending upon their preferences and comfort levels. It is our job to assist new volunteers by providing guidance towards meeting their personal goals.
Bill Coutu is a consummate professional and a most compassionate humanitarian and we are proud to recognize him as our Disaster Cycle Services Volunteer of the Year!
Bruce did an incredible job supporting the Youth Action Campaign this year as a Youth Action Campaign Coordinator. Bruce excelled in this volunteer leadership position – learning the program, teaching about International Humanitarian Law, and supporting his youth advocates. Bruce is incredibly reliable, communicative, and is clearly passionate about Red Cross history and our role in educating about IHL.
Bruce ensures that all the youth advocates enter their hours in volunteer connection and submit their activity engagement data. In other roles, Bruce supports the SAF/IS team as a resiliency facilitator, and in the past as a Military Entrance Processing Station volunteer. His motivation for starting as a Red Cross volunteer in the summer of 1967 was his mother and his family, all of whom active Red Cross volunteers. Bruce loves learning and stretching his skills and capacities and encourages new volunteers to embrace being part of a great movement. Bruce has been a Red Cross volunteer since the age of 18, and today we are so fortunate to call him our Volunteer for the Year in International Services.
Thank you Bruce, for your dedication to the Red Cross!
Terry began volunteering at the Red Cross as the lead volunteer for the Development team three years ago. She has helped to create the interview process, onboarding process and business plan to help the development volunteer team grow. In 2023 her focus has been on the retention of volunteers and expanding ways that volunteers are thanked for their service. She has helped to coordinate monthly trainings for volunteers to ensure that they are learning the different lines of service. This has included reaching out to a Red Crossers throughout the organization to come present at a meeting. Throughout the year she has pushed for more opportunities for the volunteers to attend various team meeting so that they can hear about the different work that the team is doing and get to know team members they may not know. She has been an amazing advocate for the volunteers and is always coming up with new ideas to ensure the volunteer feel welcomed and appreciated. Terry especially enjoys the people she works with and gains great satisfaction from doing what she can to assist the work of the Red Cross.
“I’ve never been shy about asking for donations for a great organization like the Red Cross, and I’m happy to help in any way I can!”
Caroline Cotton is currently a volunteer in the Youth Training Program. What she finds most rewarding about her position is the real-life story outcomes. She says that when you hear news about children finding their way out of their home due to the knowledge someone once taught them, it is motivating to keep teaching about this important work.
Hannah Rogers was interested in helping her school and community by providing education and training to younger kids so they could be prepared in case any emergency where to happen. Hannah helped find the Red Cross Club at her school and is currently a Be Red Cross Ready and Pillowcase Project Presenter.
Caroline and Hannah are the co-presidents of a Red Cross Club for Southeastern MA. Starting in their Freshman year, these two students trained as preparedness presenters so that they could bring Pillowcase presentations to younger students in grade 6. They learned Hands Only CPR and showcased demonstrations at various school events throughout the year. In addition to hosting Mashpee’s most successful ever blood drive this past fall, Hannah and Caroline presented the case for a Red Cross Club at the HOSA state conference in Worcester last month and received recognition for their efforts at last month’s school committee meeting for helping to make their community safer. They are presently working with aquatics to learn more about how their student peers can train in water safety and they will be promoting water safety to their school community before students go on break for the summer. They both are most deserving of this youth award!
As a Red Cross Board member and the Chair of the DEI committee for the Southeastern MA Chapter, Leslie has demonstrated strong leadership. With hands in the community, Leslie brings incredible insights and value to our chapter engaging the board and the committee in teachings and learnings that broaden the reach of the Red Cross. Always humble, Leslie is dedicated to service to others with kindness, compassion, and equity. Leslie joined the organization because she wanted to learn more about the Red Cross and joining has made her even more passionate about its mission and growth as we move into new times and challenges.
Phil started with the Red Cross in 2021 and began with our Disaster Action Team as a trainee and has progressed into a fine service associate and has since joined the Southeast Logistics team. One of the main reasons Phil is absolutely deserving of this award is that whatever the role may be, DAT, Logistics, Shelter, when the need arises, he makes himself available. He has an amazing sense of teamwork, and he is always dependable, reliable and someone who steps up when people need it most. His motivation for working with the Red Cross is that he has always been fond of the organization. Every year they would come to his employment to host blood drives, and he knew of the disaster responses they were involved with. He knew that upon retirement, this is the place he would volunteer!
New to our chapter this year is the Community Partner Award. We can’t do our work without our volunteers and certainly not without the collaborative efforts of our partners. It gives me great pleasure to be able to highlight this year’s inaugural recipients, Lady Eva and Pastor Michael Gilbert. Through our respective work with the United Way of Greater Plymouth County, we had the pleasure of meeting and collaborating on important community initiatives, finding ways in which we can support our communities by supporting each other. From Eva’s own personal commitment to donating blood and embracing the mission of amplifying the need for people of color to donate to alleviate the suffering of sickle cell warriors, to both Eva and Mike’s unwavering commitment and passion to making their communities safer and more vibrant, this dynamic duo are most worthy of distinctive recognition as this year’s Inaugural Community Partner awardees.
Central-Western Massachusetts
Aliza Abid is a Central-Western Mass CVL. She is a passionate Community Volunteer Leader and always willing to help out and attend local events and mission activities, such as Sound the Alarm, cookie drives, tabling events, etc. Aliza has been instrumental in helping in a variety of projects related to the Central-Western Chapter. Anytime a helping hand is needed, she is there to volunteer. She has served with us since February 2022 and says that volunteering for the Red Cross is a very fulfilling experience for her. The role has allowed her to contribute to meaningful causes and be part of a dedicated team that share the same passion for helping others. She is truly the epitome of this award.
Don Cawrse has been a standout volunteer every year since he joined us in 2009! He is a DAT Supervisor who can be counted on to mentor all new volunteers and is always advocating to get them to fire responses with him. He monitors our RC Respond calendar and will often pick up any shift that is open. When not responding to fires, Don and his wife Suzie, a Home Fire Campaign volunteer, monitor the list of requests for the program and will pick up all the homes that are in the farthest reaches of the Territory and get those installations done. This year alone, they have visited 65 homes, installing 200 alarms and educating residents about fire safety! He says that helping people in his community, his neighbors and friends at a time when they have their greatest need to be a very satisfying experience.
Julie Kraus is the epitome of “consider it done”. She has proven herself to be the go to person whenever a project needs to be taken care of in the Western Territory – ‘Julie, we need to organize the warehouse’ or ‘Julie, we need someone to deliver supplies to the Berkshires’ and ‘Julie, we need someone to train for Hands Only CPR’ or ‘Julie, we need you to respond to about 50 fires this year’ or ‘Julie, we need someone to become a certified Disaster Instructor’ and ‘Julie, can you deploy with the ERV’, – and the list goes on!!! Julie does all of these things with a cheerful smile and sends funny pictures to document her adventures! When she was 13, she was cleaning out her grandmother’s house and found her Red Cross pins from WWII. She always looked at the pins throughout the years, but never found the time to volunteer as life, career and kids kept her busy. One day at church, Dorothy Cichonski was at a Red Cross booth (one of the many booths our church donated to). I was just standing there thinking about wanting to volunteer, when she asked if I was interested in being a volunteer. I said, “YES!” and the rest is history.
Chief Tim Nelson has been a volunteer with the Red Cross since 2011. He has been a Western MA Board member for eight years and the Fire Chief for the Town of Amherst for 14 years. He is motivated by collaborating with a broad spectrum of great working people to make Massachusetts a better place to live.
Chris Olson began his Red Cross volunteer experience in 2018 and has served for three years as the Chair of the Central-Western Board of Directors. He was motivated by the work that the Red Cross does in helping people during disasters and home fires. He finds helping the Red Cross achieve its objectives to be very rewarding.
He is nominated, along with Chief Tim Nelson for the Diversity & Inclusion Champion award. They both have consistently been involved in DEI work, as well as encouraged the recruitment of diverse board members to bring more inclusion to the board. Both of them always lead with the best intentions when it comes to DEI. They were instrumental in the coordination and development of Badges Unite for Sickle Cell – the first of its kind in Massachusetts. They continue to be true leaders and examples to their peers in the work they do in the DEI space. We thank them both for their contributions in the DEI space.
Emily started as a Red Cross volunteer in 2022. I have worked as a tour guide and researcher for the Clara Barton Birthplace Museum in North Oxford, MA since 1999. When I was offered an opportunity to join the Red Cross as a Community Volunteer Leader, I saw it as way to spread Clara’s story to a wider audience. I also teach history at Nichols College in Dudley, MA and I wanted to get the campus more involved in community service.
What I find most rewarding about being a volunteer with the Red Cross is talking about Clara Barton. It was also rewarding this spring to create Comfort Kits for veterans. I feel like I am walking in Clara’s shoes, since she worked to help veterans of the Civil War. My first advice to new Red Cross volunteers would be to visit the Clara Barton Birthplace Museum. I would also advise new volunteers to not be afraid of what you can’t do; but do what you can. Every person has unique talents that can help others. As Clara Barton once said, “You must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it.”
Evangeline (Beth) Williams is a resiliency facilitator that has made a significant contribution to the resiliency program and in the lives of female veterans living in the Soldier On (North Hampton) community in transitional housing. She conducts a monthly workshop at their facility, brings SAF Resiliency Workshops to their population, meets with their director of programs monthly to ensure that she is aware of their specific group needs, and applies that knowledge to choose appropriate activities to meet their needs. She has conducted many workshops, the most workshops of any facilitator in the region for this fiscal year.
Evangeline (Beth) Williams, is a steadfast supporter of the veteran, National Cuard and active duty military men and women.
Joe started his volunteer service in Blood Services as a Blood Ambassador. Once he found out about the SAF team, he became an integral player working at MEPS and volunteering for special events such as Yellow Ribbons, Stand Downs, and Newcomers Briefings, as well as partner events such as comfort kit builds with outside partners.
He has a can-do attitude and is always willing to help. He also takes the lead making sure things are picked up and dropped off at the Central MA chapter. He manages other volunteers who are assigned to work within the SAF program; training them, giving presentations and basically makes himself useful at every opportunity. If you check his hours record, you can see he has submitted for 85 entries in one year.
Joseph Whitney is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and has worked in the local community, serving in other organizations that help veterans. He has brought his service mentality to the Red Cross, is happy to serve others, which makes it easy to ask him to help even on a moment’s notice.
He is extremely dependable; he has delivered on every activity he has signed up for and goes above and beyond learning how best to meet our partners’ and client’s needs. He is one of those volunteers that we can count on and that is important.
Tina Elevado was chosen for this award because in just two years as a volunteer, she has accepted and excelled in several roles, starting with DAT Lead for Central Territory, quickly moving to DAT Supervisor, and subsequently adding DCS Territory Coordinator.
Tina participated in the coordination of the 2023 Disaster Training Institute – which is a huge project – joining together hundreds of Disaster Volunteers throughout the region.
Congratulations Tina!
Northeastern Massachusetts
The Billerica Fire Department, the Billerica Council on Aging, and the American Red Cross have been partnering since 2015 in a Home Fire Safety Preparedness program for senior citizens, 60 + living in Billerica, MA. The Mission has been to “Help keep our seniors in their homes longer and in a safer manner”. As part of the program a representative from the Billerica Fire Department, the Billerica Council on Aging, and the Red Cross, conduct home visits to educate and train Billerica seniors on fire and home safety. During the visits the Billerica Fire Department, with donations of alarms from the American Red Cross, will install battery operated smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms to code.
As of this date we have visited over 200 homes and installed over 250 smoke alarms and 175 carbon monoxide alarms, 55 combo alarms and 45 house numbers. We have also been able to install two bed shakers for hearing impaired Billerica seniors.
We are honored today to celebrate Volunteer of the Year Janet Brings for Biomedical Services of the Massachusetts Region. Janet enjoys being a blood donor ambassador and has been volunteering with the Red Cross for 25 years. Janet especially enjoys meeting other donors, making first time donors feel comfortable and being a familiar face at local drives. Janet credits blood donations for saving her own life following a medical procedure and is a champion of drives and is her towns’ blood drive coordinator running three regular drives and three super drives with volunteers and still volunteer as a Donor Ambassador throughout Essex and Middlesex County. Thank you for your service.
It is an honor to celebrate Susan MacAvoy as this year’s “Consider It Done” award recipient for the Northeastern MA Chapter. Susan is celebrating her five-year anniversary with the American Red Cross after retiring from her professional career in higher education. She continues to use her educational background now educating others around preparedness and safety, helping to ensure that we as an organization are well prepared in times of crisis and disaster. She enjoys getting out in the community, meeting families, and hearing their stories. You can often find Susan with Samantha, her 15-year-old daughter and side kick teaching the next generation of Red Cross volunteers.
Miriam Coleman is a Community Volunteer Leader for the Northeastern Chapter. She has worked steadily for the past year and a half to help connect and integrate the chapter with the local Latino community in the Greater Lawrence area, as well as to forge a strong partnership through the Police Chaplains group where she serves as a director. Last year, Miriam ensured that a large group of her chaplains helped with Sound the Alarm, and she brought the group together for a Be Red Cross Ready training. This year, Miriam was instrumental in the planning and execution of a diverse volunteer recruitment event that took place at the Lawrence Public Library. Miriam has always wanted to join the Red Cross and loves to give help and hope to people during difficult times. We are honored to present her with this year’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion Award for the Northeastern MA Chapter.
During an initial volunteer onboarding meeting, we knew Jim Croll was incredibly special. He immediately discussed his burning desire to help people and knew he could make a difference at the Red Cross. In Jim’s short time with the Red Cross, he has spearheaded many important projects for the Operations team, from Fleet management at multiple chapters, to helping with the sustainability project in Worcester and assisting with Springfield Bio sites as well as implementing a new trailer management program. He has helped with so many different projects and it is because of his passion and leadership that is contagious. It is because of his outstanding work ethic on these projects and his impeccable character that is deserving of the Operations Volunteer of the Year award.
It is our privilege to recognize Bill Henry today as the Disaster Cycle Services Northeastern Chapter Volunteer of the Year award recipient. Bill has always had a heart for helping others and worked for 21 years as an emergency responder. He began volunteering in the Red Cross in York Pennsylvania and thrives on using his time in a purposeful way. He has volunteered in many capacities within the Red Cross including six years in Logistics and Disaster Action Team, Four years as a Shelter Surveyor, and two years as a Disaster action team Supervisor. Bill embodies a well-rounded volunteer and encourages others to take training and get involved when opportunities appear.
Metro Boston and Regional Honorees
Noah began his Red Cross journey with the Disaster Cycle Services team, responding to home fires and working toward becoming a DAT member. Volunteers Glenn Brack and Peter Schubert alerted the Communications Department about Noah, and how he might be a good fit for the Comms Team. That was a huge understatement.
Noah jumped into action with the team — photographing and storytelling at the Boston Marathon, bringing youth and enthusiasm to a rain-soaked day in Copley Square. He has gone on to photograph many DAT responses across the Metro area, as well as photographing our Sound the Alarm events in Boston and New Bedford.
Noah is active in other non-profits as well, and he does all of this while getting ready to start his senior year at Northeastern University.
Noah was born in South Korea and raised in Medford, Massachusetts by his adoptive parents. His father was serving in South Korea as a United States Marine. Noah first dabbled in the comms world by being his mother’s campaign manager in her run for Medford School Committee.
In his own words, Noah said ‘I have a deep sense of purpose to serve. I was an orphan in Korea with little to no prospects, but this country gave me everything – a loving family, friends, and a chance at happiness. I just want to help as many people as possible and to let others know that although life is hard, it’s worth it.’
Please join us in congratulating Noah as our 2023 Communications Volunteer of the Year.
Colleen started volunteering with our Boston Food Pantry in June 2021, just two weeks after arriving in the US from Singapore, and before that from her home country of Australia. Colleen has worked with staff, and alongside thousands of our volunteers — 3 days a week, every week — helping ensure food production and distribution runs like clockwork to meet the growing need for food in our community. Her exceptional ability to observe, assess and adjust operational levers to optimize resources has been invaluable as we continue scaling-up to meet the increasing need for food. Her consistent way of engaging with each volunteer and client respectfully, inclusively and wholeheartedly has built highly collaborative and productive volunteer teams, while also building trust and bringing smiles to our clients.
Over the past 4 months in her new role as Manager Volunteer Partner, Colleen quickly mastered the multitude of inherent complexities and logistics of food procurement (mostly fresh), production and distribution. While she continues to lead this critical responsibility, she also plans for and manages the large volume of food production required to distribute the robust distribution to our clients and partners every week. She has been an exceptional volunteer and volunteer partner. Her generosity, analytical prowess, quick wit and kindness, combined with her fierce compassion for providing healthy, quality food that our clients look forward to every week has enlivened staff, enriched our volunteers’ experience, and enhanced our clients’ lives.
Colleen first decided to volunteer at the Food Pantry while waiting for her work permit, but she loved it so much that she has decided to continue almost full time!
Congratulations, Colleen, and thank you!
In 2018, Grace moved from Nicaragua to Boston for college, where, driven by a lifelong passion for community involvement and service, she joined the Red Cross club at Northeastern University in Boston. Serving as a member of the club allowed Grace to participate in blood drives on campus and food distribution at the Red Cross Boston Food Pantry. There she soon discovered the need for Spanish speakers and realized, as a native Spanish speaker, she could make an even greater impact. This realization motivated Grace to progress through the ranks of leadership, starting as a member and eventually assuming the positions of Social Chair and Vice-President at Northeastern’s Red Cross club.
Through her growing involvement, Grace began exploring regional opportunities she soon expanded her involvement to serve as a Youth Engagement team member, where she supported youth volunteers across the state. In 2021, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many in-person activities had been suspended, Grace stepped up to lead the Massachusetts youth program, which proved quite a task over the past two years.
However, this year, Grace has really stood out in her dedication to ensuring that the youth program is structured, well supported and on a strong trajectory for growth. Grace is an inspiring, steady leader and a pleasure to have in Volunteer Services. We are so excited to see Grace’s hard work pay off in FY24 with expanded vision, programming, and opportunities for youth engagement.
Thank you, Grace!
For the second year in a row, we are honored to award Glenn Brack as the Volunteer of the Year for Disaster Cycle Services for the Greater Boston Territory. He is that outstanding!
Glenn was intrigued to join the Red Cross back in 2019 when he saw that he could serve as a member of “The Disaster Action Team”. He said that it “sounded like something out of a Marvel movie” – an opportunity to help people, teamwork-focused and lots of “action.” And according to Glenn, there was definitely truth in advertising!
He particularly finds that providing immediate face-face help to clients that are in great need, often right at the scene of their fire, meaningful. He also enjoys his role as a leader and mentor on the team and the chance to engage and mentor new volunteers that have just joined the Greater Boston DAT team and are starting their own volunteer journeys. And finally, what keeps him coming back? The outstanding volunteer leadership that surrounds him and continues to inspire and remind him that he is a true part of a crucial team, a part of something bigger.
He is always ready to say “yes” (Often several times a week and sometimes several times a day)!. He is incredibly comforting, calm, and extremely good at what he does. We don’t know how we would run Greater Boston DAT without him.
Thank you, Glenn – and Congratulations!
We are delighted to award Brian Batchelor the 2023 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion award for the Greater Boston Chapter for his excellent leadership working with a special needs volunteer group that supports the Boston Food Pantry once a month.
At one time 10-15% of our volunteer workforce in the food pantry came from mission program partners supporting special needs people looking for opportunities to serve the community. With the pandemic ending and the food pantry operating more normally again, this has been a good time to reinvigorate our work team with a greater volunteer mix that we gain from these groups—and we love the support. Brian really leaned in to support with our pantry activities working with the group called “House of Possibilities”.
Brian has really enjoyed the experience and been emotionally moved by this opportunity to serve. He found it particularly rewarding to help our clients in the accessibility/accommodation area and was particularly pleased to see a group of special needs volunteers being welcomed and helping with food pantry tasks. This was meaningful to him personally as his brother has special needs.
Adults who want to and can serve the community just need opportunity and we value that. Brian has really helped us in bridging the relationship in a nurturing way—creating an operational procedure for assembling bags that supports the group’s capacities.
Brian has been awesome, serving with dedication and flexibility since he joined the Red Cross and the Boston Food Pantry Volunteer Team in November of 2022. He has already given more than 250 hours to the Red Cross.
Thank you, Brian!
I am pleased to present David O’Doherty with our 2023 “Consider It Done” Award for the Greater Boston Chapter.
David has a long history of supporting Red Cross mission as a blood donor from 1990 until 2000 when he had to be deferred due to his travel, and he informally supported the Service to the Armed Forces mission from 1995 through 2002 without formally joining the Red Cross Volunteer team.
In January 2019, David joined the Red Cross as a Blood Donor Ambassador, and as so many do, he went on to deepen his Red Cross volunteer roles. For David, this meant signing up to volunteer with Service to Armed Forces at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) in Boston later in 2019, then as a Compassionate Care Volunteer in 2021. Currently, David is serving as both MEPS Boston and Compassionate Care Volunteer at the VA Center in Leeds, MA.
David has been the definition of consistent and flexible for the past three years. This year, David has really stood out for his unwavering commitment to the service members at the Boston Military Entrance Processing Station in Boston. He “Gets it done” through his consistent support of service members at Boston MEPS – driving approximately an hour each way to volunteer every week on Monday mornings since January 2022.
When asked what motivates him to continue to grow and serve, David offered the following quote from Albert Schweitzer, “The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.’ David believes that Red Cross exemplifies this and his favorite part of the job is helping people by lowering their stress, worry and fears and the Red Cross as a whole does this very well.
Congratulations, David, for this well-earned recognition, and thank you for your service and your unwavering support.
Please join us in congratulating all of our honorees this year. If you would like to find out more about the Red Cross and how you can help make a difference in lives across Massachusetts and the entire United States, visit redcross.org/volunteer.
The International Services Monthly Activity Update provides a brief snapshot of significant international disaster events that the American Red Cross is currently responding to and monitoring. This update will also feature clips of stories, blog posts and photos published on redcross.org and affiliated sites about our ongoing international work. Information within this report is compiled from several sources including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the U.S. Agency for International Development and involved Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies.
Chad – Floods
Since 2020, Chad has experienced severe annual flooding, causing considerable damage to livelihoods, homes, schools, and health facilities and resulting in the displacement of thousands of families. Recently, the flooding has taken on alarming proportions, with dramatic consequences for the whole country. Heavy rains in Chad started at the end of July 2022 and continued well into November 2022 causing widespread flooding and landslides severely impacting livelihoods, homes, and infrastructure.
More than 1 million people have been impacted by the floods, triggering waves of displacement and an increase in flood-borne diseases and food inaccessibility. According to the Government of Chad, the floods have displaced over 83,000 people.
As of January 2023, the majority of the displaced population has been unable to return to their homes.
The floods have destroyed more than 2,000 homes and impacted more than 1 million acres of farmland . Some of these farmlands are in areas where the harvest season has already worsened the alarming levels of hunger and malnutrition in the country.
Volunteers from the Chadian Red Cross branch lead people out of the floods and provide first aid in the affected areas. Photo by: The Chad Red Cross
The Chad Red Cross Society has a strong presence and capacity in implementing relief activities in the affected states and has undertaken preparedness and readiness activities since the floods began. Relief activities include evacuation of affected people to safer ground, emergency sheltering, and awareness activities on water, sanitation, and hygiene practices. Emergency first aid teams have also been deployed.
Through its Emergency Appeals, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will begin operations over 12 months to support the Chad Red Cross Society to meet the needs of the people affected by the floods. The operation focuses on livelihood and basic needs; health and nutrition; water, sanitation, and hygiene; protection, gender, and inclusion; and community, engagement, and accountability.
To date, the American Red Cross has committed $300,000 to assist the Chad Red Cross Society in providing relief items to meet the immediate needs of those affected by the floods.
Colombia – Volcanic Eruption
The Colombian Geological Service has increased the alert level of the Nevado del Ruiz Volcano, representing a probable eruption in a matter of days or weeks. It is estimated that the population at high risk of the eruption is more than 57,000 people across 22 municipalities. The Colombian Red Cross Society has activated nationally, especially in the Caldas, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Risaralda and Quindío branches, and coordinating with emergency operations centers at national, regional and local levels.
Currently, there is evidence of ash in the crops surrounding the crater of the volcano. The fall of ash or expulsion of gases, generate risk of water and food contamination, as well as affecting livestock and domestic animals. This also compromises basic services (water, transportation, communications) and access to health services. Due to these concerns, evacuations of 120 families living near the crater of the volcano have begun.
Source: IFRC
As long-time partners, the American Red Cross has worked closely with the Colombian Red Cross on capacity building and community preparedness projects. In 2021, the American Red Cross partners with USAID/BHA to assess and prepare at-risk communities if the Nevado del Ruiz Volcano erupted. Community capacities were strengthened, recognizing that community members are the first responders in an emergency, while formal structures and systems are activated, and access to the response area is obtained. Disaster risk information to communities was also improved through the installation of community radio networks and communication lines between Colombian Geological Service (CGS) and Seismological and Vulcanological Observatory of Manizales (OVSM) and vulnerable populations through mobile applications, available to locals and visitors.
International Assistance has not been requested at this time. However, the American Red Cross is monitoring the situation in coordination with the Colombia Red Cross.
Equatorial Guinea – Virus Outbreak
Beginning in January 2023, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of Equatorial Guinea received reports of a cluster of deaths due to an unknown illness in two north-eastern districts of the continental region of Equatorial Guinea (Nsok-Nsomo and Ebebiyin).
The unknown illness had symptoms similar to a viral hemorrhagic fever infection. Samples were collected from the deceased for testing and there was a positive test for Marburg virus disease (MVD). On February 13, 2023, Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Health officially declared a Marburg virus disease outbreak, marking the first-ever Marburg outbreak in the country.
At the request of the MoH, several agencies deployed to the affected area in Equatorial Guinea to support the set-up of the response, including the Equatorial Guinea Red Cross Society (EGRCS) and IFRC. This included setting up surveillance systems, case management, infection prevention and control, laboratory capacities, and risk communication and community engagement (RCCE).
Source: IFRC
The Ministry of Health at Equatorial Guinea are currently monitoring hundreds of probable cases across the nation. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that it is difficult to distinguish Marburg virus from other similar tropical viruses and no vaccines are currently available for the virus. This suggests that the Marburg outbreak will continue to reach wider population at Equatorial Guinea. Given the wide range of incubation period of 2 – 21 days, the number of actual cases will far exceed the suspected cases reported by the Ministry of Health.
Unfortunately, the fatality rate for Marburg virus can be as high as 88%. The most recent reports, as of April 10, 2023, indicate there are more than 1,300 monitored cases and over 10 deaths across four provinces.
Through an Emergency Appeal, the IFRC is seeking 3 million CHF to support the Equatorial Guinea Red Cross (EGRCS) to further scale up their response. The IFRC aims to support the EGRCS in the response to the MVD outbreak. To support the global Red Cross response, the American Red Cross has deployed 3 specialists to support information management and regional operations management.
Africa – Drought Hunger Crisis
A concerning weather pattern is occurring in the eastern Horn of Africa, with five consecutive dry seasons officially recorded, making it the longest dry spell ever recorded in the region. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) reveals significant delays in the start of rains, irregular rain distribution, and significant rainfall deficiencies throughout the country, with the October – December 2022 rainfall totals well below what is required for productive crops and rangeland. The multi-year drought is anticipated to persist throughout 2023, with a possibility of a drier-than-normal conditions March – May due to warm sea surface temperatures in the west Pacific. This is especially concerning because this timeframe is supposed to be the wet season in the area.
The Governments of Mali, Republic of South Sudan, and Ethiopia have declared national emergencies due to the drought and called for support in responding to the humanitarian crisis. Specifically in Somalia, the Government declared a national emergency due to the drought situation back in 2021 and called for support in responding to the humanitarian crisis. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of September 2022 almost half of the population (7 million people) are foodinsecure and almost a fourth of the population (4 million people) cannot meet their daily food requirements. More than 1.4 million children, or over 44 percent of the population of children under the age of five, are likely to be acutely malnourished. Nearly 330,000 of these children are likely to be severely malnourished. Staple food and livestock prices contribute to food insecurity and are exacerbated by recurrent droughts and floods, COVID-19 pandemic and related effects, conflict and insecurity, and pests and diseases. Approximately 3million people are displaced, abandoning their homes in search of food and water.
“I came here for the sake of my child because she is sick,” Amran Hassan, said. Arman and her 2-year-old daughter came to a Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) mobile health clinic for a check-up. “There are so many challenges due to the drought, because we have lost our livestock…we don’t have any access to food or water.”
The SRCS with the support of international Red Cross partners provides health services and medicines to people in areas where there are none of these supports.
Amran Hassan, and her 2-year-old daughter, came to an SRCS mobile health clinic for check-ups. Photo by: Olav A. Saltbones
The IFRC released a regional Emergency Appeal for CHF 205 million over 14 months to support the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to meet the needs of up to 7.6 million people affected by food insecurity. The appeal focuses on livelihood and basic needs; health and nutrition; water, sanitation, and hygiene; protection, gender, and inclusion; community, engagement and accountability; national society strengthening; humanitarian diplomacy; and building resilience and contributing to the IFRC Africa Zero Hunger Initiative.
The American Red Cross is contributing $1,000,000 to the IFRC emergency appeal to assist the Mali Red Cross (CRM), South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC), and Ethiopian Red Cross (ERC) in providing cash assistance to meet the immediate needs of those affected by the drought, as well as $630,000 to the Somali Red Crescent Society. To date, this brings the total American Red Cross contribution for this emergency to $2,270,000.
Sudan – Humanitarian Crisis
Conflict erupted in Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, on April 15 and has since escalated rapidly across the country.Reports indicate that hundreds of people have lost their lives, with thousands more wounded.
Sudanese Red Crescent Society volunteers assist a man off of a stretcher and into a hospital to receive urgent medical attention. The man was injured during the ongoing fighting in the country. Photo: Sudanese Red Crescent Society
With the conflict in Sudan entering its second month of fighting, the full extent of the humanitarian situation has yet to be determined, but to date, this conflict has put at risk at least 9 million Sudanese. Most residents remain stranded and are unable to flee to safer areas, due to ongoing fighting, lack of financial means or simply attempting to maintain their property, assets, and livelihoods. People trapped in conflict areas are running out of any means of survival and are being forced to take risks to make ends meet.
The fighting in Khartoum and other parts of the country is taking place in the densely populated urban areas and is endangering the lives of civilians. Millions of civilians caught in the crossfire have been in lockdown and many have run out of basic supplies like food, water, and medicine. Instead, they have to borrow them or take the risk of fleeing through extremely dangerous routes. Shrapnel and stray bullets are flying around in the residential neighborhoods. Hundreds of civilians have lost their lives and thousands more injured. The IFRC fears that these numbers will keep on soaring.
As at now, there are now close to 1.4 million people displaced due to the recent outbreak of conflict in Sudan, including over 1 million people internally displaced and over 330,000 in neighboring countries.
The situation is also extremely challenging for the hundreds of thousands of refugees already living in Sudan, who do not have any support networks and who will now be displaced a second time, likely to crowded camps established along the borders with Ethiopia, Eritrea, and South Sudan.
Despite this challenging environment, the Sudan Red Crescent Society (SRCS) has been on the ground since day one, supporting evacuations and reuniting families, providing first aid to the wounded and psychological support, as well as supporting health facilities and Restoring Family Links services in 15 locations. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and numerous partner Red Cross and Red Crescents remain in country to support SRCS volunteers and staff.
To support the global Red Cross efforts, the American Red Cross is providing remote information management support to the operation to ensure decisions can be made with the most accurate and consistent information.
Turkiye – Earthquake
Early in the morning of February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurred in Türkiye (Turkey), near the northern border of Syria. More than 16,000 aftershocks were registered in southern and central Türkiye in the weeks following the initial quake and caused devastating causalities, injuries, and displacement.
The earthquakes struck areas that were already hosting approximately 1.8 million Syrian refugees, which represents nearly half of all Syrian refugees in Türkiye. While the situation for refugees was already challenging, the earthquakes and aftershocks put even more pressure on these populations and the host communities, stretching limited capacities.
Turkish Red Crescent staff and volunteers prepare Iftar meals for people observing Ramadan in shelters and those homeless following the earthquake in Hatay. Photo credit: Turkish Red Crescent
The Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) is leading relief efforts in Turkiye and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent is leading relief efforts in Syria. Both national societies are being supported by the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network.
Since the beginning of the earthquake thousands of Turkish Red Crescent volunteers and staff are involved in the response across more than 50 provinces as teams support assessments, distribute food and other supplies, provide people with psychosocial support, collect blood donations, and plan for cash distributions. As of the beginning of April, the Turkish Red Crescent has provided over 230 million nutrition services and collected 325,000 blood donations. Turkish Red Crescent has also begun providing 140,000 voucher cards to earthquake-affected households.
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent has provided more than 6 million services, including 1.1 million medical services to those in need with the help of more than 4,000 volunteers and staff.
IFRC has released two emergency appeals covering the affected countries. In Türkiye, the appeal is seeking CHF 400 million to assist 1,250,000 people with support for shelter and livelihoods; cash distributions; mental health services including psychosocial support; medical services, including mobile health units; and expanded access to water, sanitation, and hygiene. In Syria, the appeal is seeking CHF 100 million to assist 2,500,000 people with integrated assistance to help people meet their most immediate needs through provision of food and household items; cash distributions; livelihoods restoration; mental health and medical services; and water, sanitation, and hygiene access.
The American Red Cross has contributed $3M to the Turkish Red Crescent to provide hot meals to the affected population. The American Red Cross has also provided two disaster response specialists to support communications and assessment in Türkiye and two specialists dedicated to remote coordination of information management needs.
Uganda – Ebola Outbreak
On September 20, 2022, the Ministry of Health of Uganda declared an Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, caused by the Sudan ebolavirus species. The Sudan ebolavirus species is a severe, often fatal strain of the illness. The outbreak of the Ebola virus began in the district of Mubende and continued to spread to eight other districts.
In accordance with World Health Organization recommendations to reduce the spread of the outbreak, the government issued a lockdown on Mubende and Kassanda districts. The lockdown was effective in reducing the spread of disease in both districts. On January 11, 2023, the MoH of Uganda declared the end of the Ebola disease outbreak. Unfortunately, a total of 142 confirmed cases with 55 deaths were reported during the outbreak.
The Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) conducting community Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) in Mubende. Source: IFRC
Although the outbreak has been declared over, health authorities are maintaining surveillance to rapidly identify and respond to any reemergence of the virus. Several countries in Africa, including Uganda, face periodic outbreaks of the deadly and highly transmissible Ebola virus, and preparing for these events can help teams more quickly contain those outbreaks and better meet communities’ needs.
The IFRC released an Emergency Appeal for CHF 10 million over 12 months to support the Uganda Red Cross Society to meet the needs of 2.7 million people affected by the Ebola Virus Outbreak. The appeal focuses on water, sanitation, and hygiene; protection, gender, and inclusion; coordination and partnership; and strengthening the capacity of the national society.
The American Red Cross is contributing $360,000 to the IFRC emergency appeal to assist the Uganda Red Cross Society in expanding their capacity to meet the immediate needs of those affected by the disease and to procure vital supplies to help fill gaps in the humanitarian response.
World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day was held this year on May 8. The day provided an opportunity to show gratitude to the nearly 15 million volunteers for their dedication to the humanitarian cause and Fundamental Principles and to thank them for their kindness, bravery and selflessness.
How Does the American Red Cross Help Migrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers? – May 3, 2023
As the world’s largest humanitarian network, Red Cross and Red Crescent teams have long delivered relief to refugees, migrants and asylum seekers around the globe. In the United States, the American Red Cross provides a wide range of support to people who have crossed international borders and are in need of assistance.
Violence and challenges erupted in Sudan since the conflict erupted on April 15. Local and international Red Cross and Red Crescent teams have mobilized resources to support and aid those affected impacted. Please note: The situation remains fluid as violence continues and we will update this story as information becomes available.
The theme of this year’s World Immunization Week, which takes place from April 24 to April 30, is “The Big Catch Up.” The Red Cross and health organizations around the globe are focusing on finding and vaccinating children who have missed routine vaccinations because of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Director of the American Red Cross M&RP Program Dr. Mary Agocs says that vaccines are more critical than ever at this moment in time. “We need to get the world back to at least pre-pandemic levels of global vaccination coverage. The Red Cross can “mobilize our local community volunteers, especially via the 5-Point Plan, the find unvaccinated children and understand the reasons why they are missing vaccinations.”
More than 970 former detainees held in relation to the conflict in Yemen were repatriated to Yemen and Saudi Arabia by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), reuniting hundreds of families just in time for Eid, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
To Learn More About Our Work at Home and Around the World:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
On April 15, 2013, just before 3 p.m., two explosions occurred near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Those two explosions killed three people and injured 282. Law enforcement officials stopped the marathon and directed runners off the course. It was an unprecedented response to an act of terror on a day that brings so many people together in Boston.
Over the next five days Red Cross staff and volunteers would provide care and comfort to runners, law enforcement officials, and citizens trying to cope with a terrorist event in their hometown.
The Red Cross Disaster Operation Center (DOC) opened shortly after the bombing at what was our Cambridge, Kendall Square location. The DOC was the hub for Red Cross operations for the next 26 days. More than 300 staff and volunteers carried out the Red Cross mission in Boston, Cambridge, Watertown and other surrounding communities; coordinating the movement of 26 Red Cross vehicles around the metro area.
Immediately following the bombing, the Red Cross began connecting runners and their families who had no communication with each other. As runners were directed off the marathon course, most cellular phone service in Boston was still offline as a precaution. Red Cross Safe and Well registration services were provided not only to runners, but also to spectators along the marathon course.
Disaster Mental Health (DMH) services proved to be one of the most in-need services throughout the Red Cross response. In all, 67 [IK1] Disaster Mental Health professionals volunteered with the Red Cross during the response. They worked in family assistance centers, various reception centers in the metro area, and attended numerous memorials and vigils that took place across Boston. Some of their work was done on the streets. Wearing Red Cross disaster vests, DMH volunteers would walk into gatherings of people offering support and words of encouragement to people trying to understand what was happening across Boston. They made more than 3,600 mental health contacts with people in need.
When a lockdown of the City of Watertown was put in place so that law enforcement officials could apprehend the bombing suspect, the Red Cross opened a resource center at the local mall. This allowed citizens somewhere to go when they were not able to make it to their residence.
The Red Cross launched a public awareness campaign in partnership with the MBTA. Information for people struggling with and coping with the situation of the past week was posted on buses, and in subway and train stations. The information urged people struggling to reach out to Red Cross disaster mental health volunteers.
In total, the Red Cross supported the citizens of Boston and surrounding communities with nearly 50,000 meals and snacks during the bombing response.
Bringing comfort and caring to people in need is the mission of the Red Cross. Supporting Team Red Cross and our more than 60 runners in the 2023 Boston Marathon helps us meet our mission of being there for people in their hour of greatest need.
Sleeves Up, Hearts Open, All In 