Author Archives: American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Celebrate Blood Collectors Week by thanking those who make life saving blood donations possible

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By Tim Poe, American Red Cross volunteer

I walked into the cot-filled room on a sundrenched late-summer Friday, saw an arm rise and heard a smiling voice, “Hey, my man, I can take you over here!” After checking in with the American Red Cross blood donor ambassador, I was greeted by a phlebotomist, Will, who was professional, compassionate, and kind, as all the blood collectors I’ve met have been, making the experience as pleasant as possible. And phlebotomists are one portion of the blood collection process, as there are also ambassadors, apheresis operators, donor recruiters, and technicians.

These medical professionals play a critical role in our nation’s blood supply and health, yet their contributions are often unsung, so we honor their dedication, compassion, and skill during the 20th annual Blood Collectors Week, September 7-14.

Tessa Lewis, Red Cross phlebotomist, after ten Power Red donations were collected a recent blood drive at the Lakewood YMCA

To help celebrate the week, I spoke with Tessa Lewis, a phlebotomist with the Red Cross. Like many blood collection professionals, Tessa’s career choice grew out of a desire to help others. Tessa said, “My mom and close family are some of the most selfless people I have ever met. Growing up I had great examples of what a caring person looked like.” When Tessa was taking GED classes in Bucyrus, Ohio, which she credits with helping turn her life around, Tessa expressed her desire to help others with a counselor, who led her to phlebotomy school, which she loved. After working at a hospital for a short time, Tessa found her way to the Red Cross and loves her job.

When asked what she enjoys most about her job, Tessa said, “Not only do I get to help save someone’s life every day, I also get to travel places and meet new people. I’ve grown a close bond with multiple coworkers and donors.”

Browns Give Back hosted our annual First and Ten Blood Drive in the KeyBank Club of Cleveland Browns Stadium in partnership with the American Red Cross on July 27, 2024.

Tessa has had many positive experiences with donors. One example is a donor who was also a surgeon and family man and loved learning what vitamins can do for your body. “By the time he left,” Tessa said, “I had so much respect for him.” Later that week, Tessa received an e-mail from the donor who wrote several nice things, which really stuck with and further helped motivate her. Tessa also spoke of the critical need for a diverse blood supply, mentioning that it is especially heartwarming when donors show their support for sickle cell. Tessa also believes we need to continuously educate those in our lives on the importance of donating blood.

To celebrate Blood Collectors Week, Tessa plans to show her love to her colleagues and those in the lab who make it all possible.

Outside of her career, Tessa enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as yoga, meditation, and drawing. She also has an adventurous spirit and has skydiving on her bucket list.

Tessa highly recommends those who, like her, want to help others consider a career in blood collection, as there are many opportunities for growth.

Finally, thanks to the continuous work and dedication of blood collectors, my most recent donation was a little different, as the hemoglobin check did not involve a needle. (I also received an exceptionally groovy Peanuts t-shirt, which is available for blood donors until September 21st.) More information on Blood Collectors Week is available here. If you would like to meet some of our fantastic blood collection professionals like Tessa and donate blood, please visit RedCrossBlood.org.

Canada wildfires: One Northern Ohio Red Cross volunteer’s deployment story

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By Ryan Lang, American Red Cross

As part of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, national societies often support disaster response in neighboring countries. The American and Canadian Red Cross have a long history of this kind of collaboration, including sending volunteers to support sheltering and other disaster response work.

This summer, the American Red Cross deployed more than 115 trained disaster volunteers to help the Canadian Red Cross’s effort amidst the worst wildfire season in the country in the past 30 years.

Northern Ohio volunteer Paul Hiszem (second from right) with other Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross volunteers providing relief during the Manitoba wildfires, July 2025.

One of those volunteers is Paul Hiszem, from the Northern Ohio Region. Paul’s been a Red Cross volunteer for about five years and has been on nearly a dozen deployments. This one, however, was slightly different.

“We were expecting about 4,000 residents, but we only got about 400,” Paul said of the shelter he was working at in Winnipeg. “Residents of the affected communities were being evacuated by plane.”

Residents from outside Manitoba may not have had damage to their home, but were in mandatory evacuation zones, so they hopped on small planes and were taken to Winnipeg, where Paul and other Canadian Red Cross and American Red Cross volunteers and shelter workers were waiting for them.

“A vast majority of the people we were working with were indigenous,” Paul said. “Some of them didn’t speak English. Emotionally, that was a big challenge because they’d been away from home for so long. We interacted some, trying to keep them apprised of different schedules and things, but it was different, a different setup than a lot of the shelters I’ve worked before.”

With more than 100 volunteers joining the massive relief operation, it marked the largest support effort on behalf of the American Red Cross in Canada. Prior to this summer, in 2016, the American Red Cross supported relief efforts when an Alberta wildfire forced more than 88,000 residents of Fort McMurray and surrounding areas to leave their homes in search of safety.

Canadian Red Cross volunteers are no strangers to supporting disaster relief efforts in the U.S., either. In recent years, 56 Canadian Red Cross volunteers have deployed to disasters across the United States. The American and Canadian Red Cross are two of the 191 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that make up the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the world’s largest humanitarian network. Often referred to as National Societies, their roles differ country by country, but they are all united by our Fundamental Principles and all strive for the good of humanity.

And that’s what Paul is doing as a volunteer – striving for the good of humanity and working to prevent and alleviate human suffering in emergencies. Hear more of Paul’s story on the latest episode of our Be a Hero podcast here. And click here to sign up to be a disaster volunteer.  

Preparedness starts at home: Urging Northern Ohio residents to prepare for emergencies now

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September is National Preparedness Month, and the American Red Cross Northern Ohio Region is urging everyone to protect their loved ones and their homes by getting ready now.

Most people may not realize it, but the nation’s number one disaster is home fires. On average, the Northern Ohio Region responds to 3 home fires every 24 hours. Last fiscal year, the Red Cross responded to over 1,000 home fires in the region, issuing more than $1.1 million in direct financial assistance to impacted residents. Help your family prepare by testing your smoke alarms each month and practicing your escape.

Red Cross volunteers installing a smoke alarm inside a home in Cleveland.

“National Preparedness Month is a great time to ask whether your family would be ready if something unexpected happened tomorrow,” said Mike Parks, Regional CEO, Red Cross of Northern Ohio. “It’s not about being scared; it’s about being smart and looking out for the people you love. Taking a few simple steps now so that you have a plan can make all the difference when it matters most.”

HOW TO GET READY Disasters don’t wait for the “right time” — they can happen in the middle of the night, during your commute or while your kids are at school. Protect your family by making a plan to stay safe, gathering important supplies and knowing how you’ll stay connected by taking these steps:

  • Depending on the emergency, you may need to stay where you are or go somewhere else to stay safe. If you may need to leave, think about where you’ll go, how you’ll get there, where you’ll stay and what you’ll take with you. Plan well in advance if you’ll need help leaving or use public transportation.
  • Next, gather and organize critical supplies — like food, water and medicine — into a go-kit and a stay-at-home kit. Make sure to include backup batteries and chargers for your devices (cell phone, CPAP, wheelchair, etc.), a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, and critical personal records.
  • Your go-kit should include three days of supplies that you can take with you. Your stay-at-home kit should have two weeks of food and water, and a one-month supply of medications, if possible.
  • Customize your kit to meet your household’s specific needs. If you have young children, don’t forget formula and diapers. If you have pets, include leashes, carriers, food, bowls, litter and a litterbox.
  • Finally, make a plan to reconnect with loved ones if you are separated or if the phone or internet is down. Write down important phone numbers on a contact card and carry it with you.

Download the free Red Cross Emergency app for weather alerts, safety steps for different emergencies and expert advice in both English and Spanish. Don’t forget to sign up for local government emergency alerts to get critical local information — like evacuation notices — during an emergency.

People can also help their community be better prepared for disasters by giving blood, taking a class in lifesaving skills like CPR, or becoming a Red Cross volunteer. Visit redcross.org or call 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to learn more today.

“Whether it’s a fire in someone’s home or a storm that destroys an entire town, disasters can happen anywhere, at any time,” Parks said. “Taking a few minutes now to get ready will help you protect your loved ones if the worst happens.”

National Dog Day: A look at American Red Cross’ pet programs

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By Kathryn Dean, American Red Cross volunteer

Every year on August 26, National Dog Day is recognized in the U.S. and globally as a way to celebrate dogs and the positive impact they have in the lives of people. The American Red Cross celebrates dog ownership and offers many services that support our canine companion friends. Read on to find out more! 

Megan Winans, American Red Cross, and Athena

Pet First Aid App – Would you know what to do if your pet had a medical emergency?  The Red Cross makes it easy with their free Pet First Aid App, available for download in both the Google Play and Apple App Stores, or text “GETPET” to 90999. This user-friendly app covers a wide range of potential emergency scenarios, specifically tailored for your dog (or cat!). From the basics of airway, breathing and circulation checks, to step-by-step CPR and first aid instructions, this app has you covered.  Scenarios include drowning, car accidents, burns, falls, poisoning and much, much more. It also includes an emergency vet locator,  preventative care tips and quizzes to brush up on your safety knowledge.   

Cat and Dog First Aid Course – So you’ve downloaded the Pet First Aid App, but still want to take your knowledge a step further with formal training. That is possible through the Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid Course. Learn pet CPR and first aid and become certified to provide care in an all online, self-paced course that only takes around 35 minutes to complete. This paid course covers the basics of normal vital signs and what to do in an emergency, including wounds, bleeding, seizures and cardiac arrest. In addition, you will learn preventative care tips to help keep your pet safe. Click HERE to learn more about the course and to register! 

Animal Visitation Program (AVP):  Red Cross volunteers and their certified service dogs work in conjunction with the Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) program to offer canine visitation to both active-duty military members and veterans within the VA medical system or on bases here in Northern Ohio and around the world. Approved therapy dogs provide comfort, love and encouragement to service members who are deployed or away from home. To learn more about volunteering in this capacity, click HERE. 

Disaster Response:  The Red Cross deploys to disasters all over the U.S., from fires, to floods, to hurricanes and more. In addition to relieving human suffering, special teams are assigned to assisting families with any pet needs that may arise, including finding pet friendly shelters, providing access to resources such as food, cages, blankets and vaccines. In Northern Ohio, the Red Cross works in partnership with Faithful Companions, a pet cremation service for pets who unfortunately lost their lives in fires or other disasters, free of charge. 

To keep pets safe and prepare for evacuation during disasters, Megan Winans, a Red Cross employee who serves as Pet Liaison for National Level 4+ Deployments and also serves as the Divisional/Regional Pet Champion, offered these great tips: “I always encourage everyone I know to make sure they have a go bag ready ahead of time for not only themselves and their human family members, but a go bag for their pets too. Items such as extra food, water, medications, bowls, leashes, collars, a cage and copies of important documents are all very helpful to have together in one spot to grab as you go.”  

To learn more about disaster preparedness with pets, click HERE. 

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Red Cross volunteers – true humanitarians

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By Jim McIntyre, American Red Cross volunteer

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”    

That sentiment of Mahatma Ghandi is fitting recognition for World Humanitarian Day, celebrated each year on August 19. American Red Cross volunteers are repeatedly in the service of others. 

Jim McIntrye (right) in Ft. Meyers, Florida, with another Red Cross volunteer from Northern Ohio

From organizing drives to collect lifesaving blood to assisting families who have been chased from their homes by fire, volunteers are the lifeblood of the Red Cross – the world’s premier humanitarian organization.   

I have witnessed the kindness and compassion of countless Red Cross volunteers in the past ten years, and not only in the Northern Ohio Region. Thousands of Red Cross volunteers deploy to areas across the country after disaster strikes, to help provide shelter, meals, and emotional support to people during their darkest hours. 

In 2016, in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew in North Carolina, I attended a birthday party arranged by Red Cross volunteers for a child whose family was taking refuge in a shelter. A year later, I accompanied Red Cross volunteers in Texas who were bringing warm meals and drinking water to residents at their homes following the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. I witnessed Red Cross spiritual care volunteers comfort folks following a mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio in 2019. In 2022, I watched Red Cross volunteers maneuver a disaster response truck through the rubble created by Hurricane Ian at Ft. Myers Beach to bring residents help.  And two years ago, I saw Red Cross volunteers effectively collaborate with aid workers from several other agencies to help residents of Lahaina, Maui in the aftermath of deadly wildfires. 

September 4, 2023. Yankeetown, Florida.
Red Cross disaster responder Mahogany Coward hands relief supplies to Joseph Hill of Yankeetown, Florida.
Photo by Scott Dalton/American Red Cross

True humanitarians. 

“Everyone can be a humanitarian. All it takes is one act to help someone else.” — Valerie Amos, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. 

If you have an interest in obtaining the skills needed to help people affected by large disasters across the country, visit the Red Cross website to learn more.  And if helping neighbors closer to home appeals to your humanitarianism, visit this page.  

It’s never to late to become a humanitarian. Author C.S. Lewis once said, “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”  

Red Cross youth and young adult volunteer roles offer invaluable experience for individuals like Maddie Frank

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By Tim Poe, American Red Cross volunteer

Before American Red Cross Youth Volunteer Maddie Frank arrived for her first shift as Blood Donor Ambassador, she had already recruited a new blood donor, her dad. As Maddie was not yet old enough for her license, her dad drove, deciding to give blood on the way. After her dad downloaded the Blood Donor App, Maddie said, “It was fascinating and fun to watch the blood donation’s progress with him,” culminating in the location where it helped save a life.  

Maddie Frank, Red Cross volunteer

Maddie has been volunteering since January of this year and has already made a tremendous impact. Beginning with Totes for Hope, she has taken on several roles, including Blood Donor Ambassador, Youth Advocate, and Volunteer Services Youth Engagement Lead.  

Red Cross Youth and Young Adult volunteer opportunities and Red Cross Clubs are excellent ways giving people like Maddie can assist their communities, gain tremendous experience, develop leadership and public speaking skills, build resumes, make lasting friendships, and help make the world better.   

There are many Red Cross volunteer opportunities for young people, depending on age. In fact, nationally, as many as 25% of our volunteers are age 24 and younger. For instance, individuals 13 and over can volunteer at blood drives; additional adult supervision is required for those 13-15. Prepare with Pedro presenters can be at least 14. While you must be at least 18 for most disaster relief roles, those ages 16-17 can help support logistics, inventory, and preparation in their region. And young adults (ages 18-24) may be involved in College Red Cross Clubs or hold an adult volunteer position. 

Maddie told me how she has grown up in an atmosphere of helping others and has always enjoyed doing so. Her schools have had service hour requirements, she began working with Totes of Hope for services project at her church, her dad coaches, and her mom helps at a food bank.  

Maddie said she greatly enjoys helping and interacting with people, is looking to become a nurse, and her work as a Red Cross volunteer has helped. Maddie said, “I really enjoy interacting with the donors, seeing their milestones, and working with the other volunteers and staff, as everyone is very kind.” Maddie also said the experience is helping her get a sense of working in a medical field. She has also found several fellow volunteers are studying to become medical professionals, including nurses, and share their experiences. 

In addition to aiding the Red Cross, Maddie has assisted with several programs to help others, is a member of her school’s medical club, enjoys playing basketball, and will soon begin her Junior year at Wash Jesuit High School. 

I asked Maddie what she would tell someone her age interested in becoming a Red Cross volunteer. She said, “Starting out as a blood donor ambassador is really beneficial, as you get to meet people, including those in medical fields, and see what blood drive are like. And you get to see your impact.” 

Keep your kids safe as they head back to school

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It’s getting closer… Yes, it is almost time… Time for the kids to go back to school! And while parents all across Northern Ohio collectively exhale that sigh of relief, knowing that their “break” from the summer mayhem is on the horizon, there are still things to think about. Most notably back to school safety! With that, the American Red Cross offers ways to help keep your students safe as they return to school for the upcoming year.

If your student is younger or going to school for the first time, teach them:

  • Their phone number, address, how to get in touch with their parents at work, how to get in touch with another trusted adult and how to dial 911.
  • Not to talk to strangers or accept rides from someone they don’t know.

If your child walks to school, teach them to:

  • Walk on the sidewalk. If no sidewalk is available, walk facing traffic.
  • Stop and look left, then right and left again to see if cars are coming.
  • Cross the street at the corner, obey traffic signals and stay in the crosswalk.
  • Never run out into the street or cross between parked cars.

If your student takes the bus to school, teach them to:

  • Get to their bus stop early and stand away from the curb while waiting for the bus to arrive.
  • Board the bus only after it has come to a complete stop and the driver or attendant has instructed them to get on. And only board their bus, never an alternate one.
  • Stay in clear view of the bus driver and never walk behind the bus.

If your student rides their bike to school, teach them to:

  • Always wear a helmet.
  • Ride on the right in the same direction as the traffic is going.

If you drive your child to school, make sure to:

  • Always use seat belts. Younger children should use car seats or booster seats until the lap-shoulder belt fits properly (typically for children ages 8-12 and over 4’9”), and ride in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old.

If you have a teenager driving to school, make sure they:

  • Use seat belts.
  • Don’t use their cell phone to text or make calls and avoid eating or drinking while driving.

If you are considering getting your student a cell phone:

  • Download the free Red Cross First Aid and Emergency apps to give them access to first aid tips for common emergencies and full weather alerts. Find the apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.

DRIVERS, SLOW DOWN! Drivers should slow down as children head back to school. Know that yellow flashing lights indicate a school bus is getting ready to stop ─ motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign indicate the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off.

Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. This includes two and four-lane highways. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.

Red Cross, Avon Lake mayor team up to send smoke alarms to West Virginia

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By Todd James, American Red Cross

In my nearly 20 years with the American Red Cross, I have seen many times how our chapters across the country work together to deliver help where it’s needed. I’ve worked side by side with disaster responders from many cities, states, and even other countries. But it’s not only in disaster response that the Red Cross uses our national network of chapters to provide help. I recently had the opportunity to be a part of helping homes in West Virginia receive free smoke alarms as part of our Home Fire Campaign.  

It all started with a conversation between Joe Matuscak, a member of the North Central Ohio Chapter Board of Directors and Mark Spaetzel, the mayor of Avon Lake in Lorain County. Mayor Spaetzel asked Joe about the Home Fire Campaign, specifically how we provide free smoke alarms and preparedness education for families.  

Charleston, West Virginia high school students repairing homes

A couple of weeks after that initial conversation, the mayor was in Charleston, West Virginia as part of a mission project with the United Church of Christ. He was one of 31 adults that accompanied 85 high school students to Charleston to assist the Appalachian Service Project in providing home repairs and help to low-income families in the area.  

As a construction manager for the project, Mark oversaw nine sites that teams were working on. He noticed that many of the homes did not have working smoke alarms and knew that, for many of these families, the cost of purchasing new alarms was not a cost they could afford. Recalling their recent conversation, Mayor Spaetzel called Joe Matuscak and asked him if there was anything the Red Cross could do to help.  

Joe immediately called me and explained the situation. I told him we would do everything we could to make sure those homes would receive smoke alarms and the safety they provide. I’ve worked on disasters with several members of the Central Appalachian Region team in West Virginia, so I reached out to one of my contacts who quickly put me in touch with Angela Akers, the Community Disaster Program Manager for the Charleston area. I called Angela and explained the situation and within a couple of hours, she had spoken to the mayor, arranged to sign his team up as a Home Fire Campaign partner and provided the smoke alarms and training the team needed to install the alarms and educate families on being prepared for home fires.  

Mayor Spaetzel said he wasn’t sure at first if making the call to Joe would help. “You think about big organizations and the bureaucracy involved and you don’t know if it’s going to work,” he said. “But this was seamless, and it was so easy. The training was quick and clear, and the Red Cross team made it easy and simple to help these families. I know the families appreciated it, because they didn’t currently have working smoke alarms and many of them had never had them.” 

Mayor Spaetzel said that in his position, fire safety and prevention are always on his mind and he’s looking forward to working with the North Central Ohio Chapter to make sure families in Avon Lake know about the Home Fire Campaign and have access to the program.  

Being a part of the Red Cross family means having family members across the country who are ready to help whenever it’s needed, wherever the call comes from. For more information about the Home Fire Campaign, visit redcross.org/NOH.  

Grateful mother encourages others to donate blood after experiencing hemorrhage during birth

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By Kathryn Dean, American Red Cross volunteer

“In some situations, it takes a village of people to save one person’s life.”  – Dr. Kristin Gype 

Last August, 38 weeks pregnant with her second child, Dr. Kristin Gype went in to see her doctor for a routine checkup and ultrasound. Everything had been going smoothly with this pregnancy, but at this appointment, the staff noticed that her amniotic fluid appeared cloudy on the scan. As a precaution, her doctor recommended that she deliver within 24 hours.  

Dr. Kristin Gype and her daughter,

Feeling a bit unnerved at this unexpected turn of events, she called her husband, reluctantly gathered her belongings, and dropped her daughter off at her mother-in-law’s house.  As she hugged her daughter goodbye, Kristin had a powerful urge to squeeze her extra tight and hold on a little longer. 

A few years earlier, she had undergone a C-section with the birth of her daughter and was determined this time to try a natural birth. At the hospital, labor was induced and she received an epidural as she waited for her son to be born. Sometime overnight, they broke her water, and it was perfectly normal. She felt a wave of relief, but also a hint of frustration.

Later that morning, she noticed that her son’s fetal monitor was showing his heart rate dipping periodically into the 30s. A normal fetal heart rate is around 110 to 160 beats per minute. She was also feeling pain in her lower right abdomen. Despite the anesthesiologist administering more medicine, the pain persisted. 

Due to the low heart rate, it was determined that a C-section was necessary, and she went in for emergency surgery. Her son was born in under 90 seconds and was perfect and healthy, but she quickly realized something else was seriously wrong.   

Having attended many C-sections during her career as a nurse anesthetist, Kristin understood the subtle cues the medical staff were giving. She soon realized that she had uncontrolled bleeding and they were trying desperately to stop it.   

“I felt this impending doom,” she recalled. “I felt like I was dying…it truly felt cold and dark, and gloomy, and there was no control.” 

She began losing her ability to communicate coherently with her husband and staff.  At one point they informed her that a total hysterectomy was necessary to try to stop the bleed and she readily agreed. The next thing she knew she woke up in recovery in the ICU.   

After speaking to her doctor the next day, she learned that she had required a total of 52 units of blood during her surgery. To put that number into perspective, the average human body holds around 10 units or pints of blood. In addition, she estimates that up to 83 blood donors were required to produce all of the blood products she needed that day. 

Luckily, she suffered no long-term consequences from this traumatic incident. Today she has a new life perspective, realizing that she was literally saved from the brink by the generous blood donors who contribute to the crucial blood supply in our community.  

To give back, she has been donating her extra breast milk to the Ohio Milk Bank. “I went on to donate 3,500 oz of breast milk,” she proudly explained. “The milk bank providers said 1 ounce of breastmilk can give three meals to a newborn ICU patient.” 

Regarding her blood donors, she reflected, “Those people had a ripple effect. They kept me alive, kept these two babies’ mommy alive. I get to go to work and take care of people and keep them alive, and my breastmilk goes to critically ill babies.”   

“It seems so simple because putting a needle in your arm and donating a pack of units is so minor compared to the downstream effects of all those things. You give somebody another Christmas, give somebody another chance at life.” 

The American Red Cross is in critical need of blood donors. Just one hour of your time could save the life of a new mother or other critically ill patient. To donate, visit RedCrossBlood.org, or download the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App by clicking HERE.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

Hiring military veterans works for the Red Cross

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By Jim McIntyre, American Red Cross volunteer

“A shared commitment to a greater purpose may just be the most significant advantage veterans bring to the American Red Cross…” – Mike Parks, RADM, USCG (Retired), Regional CEO, American Red Cross of Northern Ohio. 

There were nearly 16 million veterans of the armed forces living in the U.S. in 2023, according to usafacts.org. Nearly 3% were unemployed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To raise awareness of veterans in need of job placement and to show the challenges of transitioning from the military to civilian workforce, July 25th has been named National Hire a Veteran Day. 

“Veterans bring unmatched dedication, discipline, and leadership to the workplace – skills forged through service and mission-focused training,” according to Dr. Alaina Foster, Regional Program Director for Service to the Armed Forces and International Services at the Red Cross of Northern Ohio. “Hiring a veteran means gaining a teammate who thrives under pressure, adapts quickly, and leads with integrity.” 

Foster is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and comes from a military family. On her team is Nasir Ahmad, also a retired Air Force veteran who recently completed an assignment for the Red Cross that took him to Iraq, where he provided Red Cross services for members of the U.S. military on a base in Baghdad.  He said being a veteran gave him a shared connection with members of the military in need of Red Cross services. 

“When people say, ‘thank you for your service,’ it’s appreciated and great to hear, but organizations like the Red Cross put those words into action by making a deliberate effort to hire veterans,” Nasir said, adding, “These organizations welcome people who know how to work on a team and put their own vision and ambitions second to the overall success of the company.  Firms that are willing to hire veterans gain people that are able to thrive in structured settings as well as adapt to free-flowing projects and events.”  

CEO Mike Parks, who calls the Red Cross “the world’s premier humanitarian organization,” said hiring veterans fits in well with the Red Cross ethos.  

Mike Parks,  Regional CEO, American Red Cross of Northern Ohio
Rear Admiral, United States Coast Guard (Retired)

“I’m fond of saying ‘The Red Cross is all about caring.’  Most successful veterans largely became successful by caring.  Sacrificial giving and servant leadership are both hallmarks of veterans who have found a home in the Red Cross after they’ve served their country in uniform.” 

Mike found a home at the Red Cross, leading the Northern Ohio Region since 2015, following a lengthy career with the U.S. Coast Guard. Nasir has called the Red Cross home since 2023. 

“I was unsure what to expect from the Red Cross, but the Northern Ohio team showed me that there’s still a place where I could serve.  And I’m grateful for it.  Maybe that’s all any of us veterans want — a place to still be of service.”    

Veterans excel in every sector of the employment market, but there are numerous job opportunities at the Red Cross, where the experience of having served in the armed forces can add extra value.  See current job opportunities here. And tap here to learn more about how the Red Cross supports military members, veterans and their families.