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.
Submitted by Sara Bloom, Sheltering Volunteer during the Creek Fire in Central California. “Cards are my thing, I enjoy making and sending them out to friends and family, and with the pandemic, I finally ended up with more time to make them. The 'hug' card I made last year was a design I had made … Continue reading A Little Goes a Long Way
By Lori Wilson, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Central Valley Chapter It is hard to believe that we are already looking at the 1-year anniversary of the Creek Fire. At the time it was the single largest wildfire in California history, a record for only a short time— now broken by the Dixie … Continue reading Red Cross commemorates the 1-year anniversary of the Creek Fire
By Cindy Huge, Red Cross Public Affairs Every eight minutes the American Red Cross responds to emergencies both locally and nationally. On August 18, 2021, the American Red Cross of Kern County and Eastern Sierra Chapter was activated to help shelter residents evacuated from the French Fire. Volunteers and staff set up a shelter at … Continue reading Turning Heartbreak into Hope
By Taylor Poisall, American Red Cross Public Affairs Jessica Dotterer has a personality you can't help but be immediately drawn to. She would introduce herself as the unofficial event planner and a member of the welcoming committee at one of our Red Cross shelters for the French Fire. You would never know that she had … Continue reading Meet the Red Cross Shelter’s Honorary Event Planner
by Cindy Huge, Red Cross Public Affairs Volunteer Sherry Pilion moved from Georgia to California four years ago to care for her aging mother. As they were looking for a home that would accommodate the two of them, a local woman, who recognized how loving and caring Pilion was to her mother, offered them her … Continue reading Can’t See the Forest for the . . . . . . . . . . Smoke
By Taylor Poisall, American Red Cross Public Affairs When you help at a shelter or go on what we at the Red Cross call a “deployment”, there are of number of tugs on your heart strings after each one. Red Crossers often share their mission moments with each other and this one is mine from … Continue reading Tugs on the Heart Strings
Story by Cindy Huge, Public Affairs Volunteer Rarely do I cry when interviewing an evacuated resident, but today I found myself shedding a few tears. Life recently for Nina Baetz has been very difficult. Her daughter, who was terminally ill, passed away just a few days prior to the mandatory evacuation orders for the fast-moving … Continue reading Life’s Most Difficult Season
Throughout the pandemic, the furry members of the Red Cross kept their families company as they worked from home during safer at home orders. This National Dog Day, we're highlighting the Pups of the Red Cross. Enjoy! Kiba's mom is member of the Disaster Services Team. Kiba kept their family comfort as Megin responds to … Continue reading Happy National Dog Day from Team Central California!
by Cindy Huge, Red Cross Public Affairs Volunteer Dwayne Levingston has been serving with the Victims Chaplain Association for the past 10 years. One of the many hats he wears is to provide a portable shower unit to residents affected by disasters such as wildfires and earthquakes. When Victims Chaplain Association received word from the local Red Cross that their shower unit was … Continue reading Community Partners in Action
by Cindy Huge, Red Cross Public Affairs Volunteer Margie Manning knows firsthand the devastation a wildfire can bring. In 2016, the Erskine Fire swept through the neighborhood where Manning and her husband lived. They quickly evacuated with their pets and sought shelter with the American Red Cross. “There were several hundred people in the shelter and even … Continue reading Caring for People and Communities
Red Cross Central California Blog 