American Red Cross CEO Mike Parks, Northeast Ohio Region

Northeast Ohio American Red Cross Family:  Between Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, Boxing Day and New Year’s (among others)—we’re well into this year’s “Holiday Season.”   Please accept my sincere thanks and grateful appreciation for all each of you do every day to help serve those in need in Northeast Ohio.  Thank you!

As we close out calendar year 2015 (as well as the first half of FY 2016) and reflect back on your accomplishments, it’s been an incredibly busy year.  Here’s just a partial list of some of those successes:

Opened more disaster cases and provided more direct client assistance than the same time last year.

Prescious Givens and her family received housing assistance after their home caught fire

Installed more than 6500 smoke alarms (our target was 6500 but we upped our annual goal to 10,000).

Lincoln Electric CEO and Red Cross Board Member Chris Mapes installing smoke alarms in Euclid

Reached more than 2800 students with the Pillowcase Project  (our target was 3000 but we got materials for 500 additional).

Students created pillowcases at Wilcox Elementary School in North Ridgeville

Migrated almost 2200 volunteers (including Biomedical Services) to Volunteer Connection.

Volunteer George Figel of Akron

Recruited more than 300 new volunteers to the American Red Cross.

Created an integrated American Red Cross Board combining Chapter & Biomedical Boards.

Inaugural meeting of combined board

Achieved 100% participation in our annual Board Campaign while exceeding our financial goal by almost 10%.

Partnered with both the Veteran’s Administration and the USO to better serve our members of the Armed Forces.

American Red Cross CEO Mike Parks,  with Ohio Army National Guardsmen

Updated all Northeast Ohio American Red Cross websites and revitalized an informative Blog.

Upgraded our building facilities and streamlined our automotive fleet.

Remained well-within our annual expense budget through careful stewardship.

Hired and onboarded more than a dozen new enthusiastic Red Cross employees.

Regional Disaster Officer Tim O’Toole

And as you know—that’s just scratching the surface of all you’ve accomplished throughout the Northeast Ohio Region.  As many of us take time to celebrate with families and friends, I want to say a special “Thank You” to those staff and volunteers who have, and will be providing critical assistance during this holiday period.  We wouldn’t be the American Red Cross without you!  As I’ve said many times since joining this fine organization, the American Red Cross is all about “caring”…”caring for those we serve” and “caring for those who serve.”   It seems fitting that in this special season of giving, we remember those who give so much to help those in need.  Thank you to all of the Northeast Ohio American Red Cross family.  I wish you and yours Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.  I’m already excited about what 2016 will bring—I hope you are too.   Best wishes…Mike