Help needed as winter increases the risk of home fires Support also needed for Red Cross Blood Program
Winter weather has arrived and with it an increase in the number of home fires. The American Red Cross of Northern Ohio is recruiting new volunteers to help respond to these local emergencies by supporting people in their time of greatest need.
Nationally, the Red Cross has already responded to more than1,900 home fires since 2022 began, providing assistance to more than 6,500 people. In the Northern Ohio Region, trained Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) members have responded to 60 home fires so far this year, helping 215 people impacted by a fire in their home.
LOCAL RESPONSE HELP NEEDEDDAT volunteers help families with their immediate needs after a fire in their home and offer support during a very difficult time. As a DAT team member, you will provide emotional support, access to financial assistance and information to help families begin to recover. DAT team members respond to emergencies to provide immediate compassion and care. Training will be provided.
Home Fire Response
“Our Red Cross volunteers support their community and neighbors in need each and every day by responding to local emergencies,” said Mike Parks, Regional CEO, American Red Cross of Northern Ohio. “We need more help so no one faces this heartbreaking situation alone.”
Ruth Davidson Gordon – Red Cross Volunteer Blood Donor Ambassador
BLOOD SERVICESVOLUNTEERS ALSO NEEDED The Red Cross also needs volunteers to support blood collections as the country faces an ongoing critical need for blood products and platelets. Blood donor ambassadors play an important role by greeting, registering, answering questions and providing information to blood donors throughout the donation process. Blood transportation specialists provide a critical link between blood donors and blood recipients by delivering blood to hospitals in our communities.
Blood Transportation Specialist
COVID-19 AND STAYING SAFE The need for volunteers is constant and continues to evolve as the Red Cross navigates the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The safety of everyone is our top priority and our guidelines reflect the latest CDC safety recommendations. COVID-19 vaccination is required for in-person volunteer roles beginning February 15, 2022. When considering volunteer opportunities, review the CDC guidance for people who are at higher risk for severe illness, consult your health care provider and follow local guidance.
Please consider joining the Red Cross as a volunteer today and bring help and hope to people in need. Vaccination verification required for in-person roles. Find out more at redcross.org/volunteertoday.
Dire situation facing blood supply, those in need of blood transfusions
The American Red Cross is facing a national blood crisis – its worst blood shortage in more than a decade. Dangerously low blood supply levels are posing a concerning risk to patient care and forcing doctors to make difficult decisions about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become available.
Blood and platelet donations are critically needed to help prevent further delays in vital medical treatments, and donors of all blood types – especially type O − are urged to make an appointment now to give in the weeks ahead.
In recent weeks, the Red Cross had less than a one-day supply of critical blood types and has had to limit blood product distributions to hospitals. At times, as much as one-quarter of hospital blood needs are not being met.
Pandemic challenges The Red Cross continues to confront relentless challenges due to COVID-19, including a out a 10% overall decline in the number of people donating blood as well as ongoing blood drive cancellations and staffing limitations. Additionally, the pandemic has contributed to a 62% drop in blood drives at schools and colleges.
“Winter weather across the country and the recent surge of COVID-19 cases are compounding the already-dire situation facing the blood supply,” said Mike Parks, Regional CEO, American Red Cross of Northern Ohio. “Please, if you are eligible, make an appointment to give blood or platelets in the days and weeks ahead to ensure no patient is forced to wait for critical care.”
Make an appointment to give blood or platelets as soon as possible by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800- 733 2767).
Who donations help Dylan Fink of Stow, Ohio was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in September 2019 at just 14 years old. Because of his chemotherapy treatment, Dylan’s blood counts were drastically low. Over the course of his 100 days in the hospital Dylan needed nine blood transfusions and 11 platelet transfusions. In May 2020, Dylan was able to “ring the bell” at Akron Children’s Hospital, marking his remission.
“In the cancer world, I don’t think people understand how much blood product is needed andjust how important it is,” said Krista Fink, Dylan’s mom. Read more about Dylan’s story here.
Blood drive safety Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including face masks for donors and staff, regardless of vaccination status – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive.
Volunteers needed In addition to blood donors, the Red Cross also needs the help of volunteers to support critical blood collections across the country. Blood drive volunteers play an important role by greeting, registering, answering questions and providing information to blood donors throughout the donation process. Blood transportation specialists – another volunteer opportunity − provide a critical link between blood donors and blood recipients by delivering blood to hospitals in communities across the country. To volunteer to support Red Cross blood collections, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday.
As we come to the end of another year, many of us are thinking about what we can do to make the next year better.
Resolve to lose (or gain) weight? Resolve to spend more wisely? Resolve to be on time?
How about, resolve to volunteer?
The American Red Cross has a wide variety of volunteer opportunities that pay off big time in “job satisfaction.”
“It’s a rewarding experience when you can help somebody,” said Paul Grygier.
Paul Grygier
Paul began his volunteer career as a Disaster Action Team (DAT) member, responding to home fires and other emergencies in Wyandot County, where he lives. In that role he brings compassion, safe accommodations and financial assistance to meet disaster-caused needs. “DAT is a good way to help people in their time of need,” he said.
Dotty Dolwick of West Park, in Cuyahoga County, finds her satisfaction as a blood donor ambassador, welcoming donors, being sure they’ve read important pre-donation materials and answering questions at a couple of blood drives a week.
“It’s a good way to get out with people,” the retired nurse said, adding that she likes the flexibility Red Cross offers its volunteers. “You get to kind of pick and choose where you go, when you go.”
Paul also leads his Red Cross chapter’s Sound The Alarm campaign, which strives to save lives by installing free smoke alarms in every home that needs one (or more). “I’m basically a mechanic,” he explained. “It’s easy for me to do. I like to help the older people who can’t get up on ladders.”
Dotty Dolwick
The Pillowcase Project is another of Paul’s favorites. He gives the Red Cross disaster preparedness presentations to third- through fifth-graders. “You know you’re reinforcing important lessons in an organized fashion,” he said, hoping those messages will spring to mind if the youngsters ever need them.
To explore all the volunteer roles the Red Cross has to offer, visit redcross.org/volunteer or contact your local chapter.
As for me, I wear a few hats with the Red Cross: Communicator, blood donor, chapter board member and financial supporter. These are all volunteer roles.
Eilene Guy
I enjoy spreading the message about what the Red Cross is doing to help people prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters large and small. Like a lot of other Red Cross activities, it’s something I can do from home; at a time of heightened COVID concern, the Red Cross has modified its activities to keep its staff, volunteers, and those we serve safe.
Serving as a board member and supporting the organization financially may be low-profile activities, but they’re vital for this organization with a big role in our society.
And don’t get me started about how rewarding it is to know that every time I donate blood, I could be saving up to three lives.
Dr. Paul Biedenbach
My ear, nose and throat doctor spotted my Red Cross socks and said proudly that he had just made a Power Red donation, giving two units of red blood cells at one sitting. “They even let me know where my blood is going,” Dr. Paul Biedenbach of Sandusky said. “It’s kinda cool.”
He realizes that giving the gift of life isn’t a casual act: “People need to make an effort, to register in advance. It’s not as easy as just walking into a donation site. But it’s so important.”
As someone said recently, “If I don’t do this, who’s gonna do it?”
So please, make it a happy new year and resolve to volunteer!
Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer
Many will spend the holidays away from home to help others
Two more disaster workers – volunteers – from Northern Ohio left their homes today to head to Kentucky, where they will join the American Red Cross disaster relief operation in Kentucky.
Al Irwin and Barb Gabel departed from the Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley chapter headquarters Monday morning, December 20th, in an emergency response vehicle (ERV), fully aware that they will be spending the Christmas holiday away from home.
Al Irwin and Barb Gabel
“It’s the first time in forever I haven’t been with my kids,” Barb said. “They understand. They know this is what I really want to do, so I’m going to celebrate when I get home.”
Al shared similar sentiments. “Especially at this time of year, I can’t even imagine what they’re going through,” he said. “Anything we can to to help alleviate their pain, I’m all in.”
Today, some 470 trained Red Cross disaster workers from all over the country remain on the ground in multiple states, providing shelter, meals, comfort and support after last week’s devastating tornadoes that left behind a heartbreaking trail of destruction. Our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been forever changed by these deadly storms.
In Kentucky, hundreds of people remain displaced, and the Red Cross is working alongside state officials and other community organizations to support those staying in emergency shelters and other temporary accommodations, such as state park lodges and hotel rooms.
With the help of partners, the Red Cross has served more than 28,000 meals and snacks, distributed more than 16,700 relief items, and provided more than 3,800 individual care contacts to help people with medical or disability needs, as well as emotional and spiritual support during these challenging times.
This will be the third time Al has been part of an ERV crew at a disaster. He expects to be loaded with food, water, and critical supplies when they arrive at their destination in Kentucky, and to then drive into impacted areas to bring much needed relief to people who have suffered so much.
“Anything I’m feeling right now, they have it much, much worse,” Barb said. “Anything I can do to ease their pain and make them happy, I’ll do it.”
While many of us enjoyed time relaxing with family and friends over the Thanksgiving holiday, American Red Cross disaster volunteers were busy responding to multiple incidents across the Northern Ohio Region. During the week of Thanksgiving, November 22-28, the Red Cross of Northern Ohio responded to 34 home fires, affecting 110 adults and children. We distributed more than $22,000 in immediate assistance to help these families begin the recovery process.
Of the many responses that happened in the past week, three occurred on Thanksgiving Day. Dedicated volunteers in the Northern Ohio Region left their own families and celebrations to assist families facing one of the worst days imaginable. Without the continued commitment of volunteers who are available 24/7 to respond to disasters, the Red Cross could not meet the needs of the many communities we serve.
The Red Cross normally sees an increase in local disasters, especially home fires, during the holiday season and this year is no exception. Cooking accidents and home heating mistakes often lead to fires that leave families stranded during the winter months. The Red Cross encourages the community to celebrate safely in the coming weeks and to read up on our tips to cook and decorate safely.
It’s also important that families are prepared for a home fire that could happen at any time. In most cases, families have less than two minutes to escape a home fire, although many believe they have much longer. The Red Cross encourages you to protect your family by taking two simple steps.
Practice your two-minute escape drill
Test your smoke alarms monthly
In an effort to #EndHomeFires, the Red Cross continues to provide home fire safety information to residents and to install smoke alarms for those who need them. On Monday Nov. 29, volunteers visited 22 homes and installed 67 smoke alarms in Cleveland and East Cleveland. View our photo album here.
For more information on the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, fire safety tips, or to request a smoke alarm, please visit this site. The Red Cross also has an urgent need for volunteers to respond to local disasters and help in other ways as we carry out our lifesaving mission. Learn more about our volunteer positions and sign up today.
By Chiane Martin, American Red Cross Volunteer, Serviceto the Armed Forces
Veterans Day is a day, when as a country, we can sit back and reflect on the sacrifices made by the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is a day of remembrance, gratitude and honor. As a veteran, I reflect on the personal sacrifices all veterans have made and we honor our brothers and sisters that we have lost along the way. Veterans Day is about showing homage to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The sacrifice of leaving everything they know and love behind to fight for their country. There is an immense sense of pride that a service member feels when they put on that uniform. That pride comes from knowing that they are fighting for something bigger than themselves.
Red Cross volunteer and US Army veteran Chiane Martin
The work that I do with the American Red Cross makes me feel that sense of pride again. I am honored to provide my fellow service members and their families with the support they need during some of the most difficult and trying times in their lives. Having someone understand the challenges you’ve faced or are facing can make all the difference and I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to do just that.
There is an immense sense of pride that a service member feels when they put on that uniform. That pride comes from knowing that they are fighting for something bigger than themselves.
Chiane Martin
The Red Cross is a phenomenal organization and were helpful when I was in the military. I respect the work and dedication that I see put in by the Red Cross and couldn’t be more happy to be a part of it. Thank you to all the men and women past and present, who have made that ultimate sacrifice. Those that understood and upheld the mission of service before self. Those that took that oath and those who understand that the world is more important than themselves.
Happy Veterans Day,
Mike Parks’ Veterans Day message
By Mike Parks, Rear Admiral, US Coast Guard (retired) Regional CEO, American Red Cross of Northern Ohio
This Thursday, November 11th, we will remember Veterans Day, which evolved from Armistice Day and was first proclaimed in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson. The term “armistice” refers to when warring parties agree to stop fighting. President Wilson’s Armistice Day recognized the end of World War One when hostilities ceased at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month). The United States Congress changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954 to recognize Veterans of all U.S. wars.
“In this poster, a Tomb Guard carries out his responsibilities with unwavering dedication, alone on the quiet plaza at dawn. There have been Tomb Guards of all races, genders, religion and creeds, so I wanted to keep the identity of this Tomb Guard ambiguous. By placing the Tomb Guard off to the side I hoped to remind the viewer to look past the sentinel and focus on the tomb itself and the unknown soldiers who died in service to our nation.” (Artist Matt Tavares)
This past year has been yet another year of remarkable events in our nation’s history—not the least of which was the conclusion of our military’s 20-year engagement in the war in Afghanistan—a war that saw thousands of American Veterans serve our country—many making the ultimate sacrifice or suffering debilitating injuries they will live with for the rest of their lives. We should not only remember and thank those Veterans who served in that two-decade long war, we should also recognize and thank their families and loved ones.
I’d like to highlight this last point just a bit more on this Veterans Day. Veterans past and present put themselves in harm’s way to protect our way of life; many endure severe hardships while serving our country; they sacrifice significant time with their families and loved ones during long deployments-often in far-away lands and on the high seas; and they frequently uproot themselves and their families to undertake moves of entire households—many times cross-country. All of these facets of a Veteran’s everyday life, also take a huge toll on their families and loved ones as they support their Veterans. I speak from personal experience, and feel confident I speak for other Veterans, when I state I would not have been successful without the love, support, and prayers of my family—they were, and always will be, a true blessing. Let us all make a special point this year to also remember to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to the families and loved ones of our Veterans.
In closing—I challenge all of us to not just remember our Veterans and their families on November 11th, but remember and thank them whenever the opportunity presents itself. None of our Veterans only protected our freedoms one day a year—I hope we can express our gratitude on more than one day a year as well. To all those Veterans that are reading this—“Thank you for your service!” Please also thank your families and loved ones for their support of you and their sacrifice as well! Let us never forget.
Best regards…Mike
P.S. Please also take a moment to view our Virtual Resiliency Workshops website to learn how to access these resources, which are open to anyone with a military veteran affiliation (including partners, donors, service members, spouses, friends and staff members, those 18 years and up).
As October is National Hispanic Heritage month, it is the perfect time to highlight the American Red Cross’ Northern Ohio Latino initiative, explain why we need to focus on this cultural group and share ways to get involved. The Northern Ohio Red Cross is one of many local chapters across the United States that was designed to help all people in times of need.
Latino initiative
Our Northern Ohio Latino initiative’s mission is to deepen our relationship with this diverse community, to educate on what services we can provide, offer tools and support regionally and to partner with local groups to bridge trust.
Why? Our short answer is that the growing Latino community has varying levels of connectivity to Red Cross services from urban to rural communities that could benefit. One gap we discovered is that there is a large percentage of Spanish-only speaking people who are disconnected from the Red Cross based on language barriers.
Luckily, we have some passionate leaders in the Northern Ohio chapter like Tim O’Toole, Regional Disaster Officer, and Monica Brunner, disaster volunteer/member of LET (Latino Engagement Team). Tim and Monica work as part of the Disaster Action Teams. Their Disaster Action Teams provide disaster relief services on an on-call basis. They may provide free emergency food, clothing, shelter assistance, and assist disaster victims in planning their immediate and long-term recovery from disaster.
Bridging the gap
Tim gained a firsthand perspective while he was the assistant director for the recent Oregon wildfires. His experience taught him that Red Cross services were not being extended into the Latino communities based on communication challenges and a disconnect of what services were available. Furthermore, Tim and his team discovered that an underlying cultural independence of not wanting to ask for help, some fear of a police officer present at shelters mixed with the perception of the Red Cross being a government group created a reluctance to accepting our services. Tim understands that we need to focus on teaching about all the resources and services that the Red Cross provides, but a level of trust is needed to really bridge the gap.
Monica is in the process of taking her local volunteering role to a national level through multiple positions, extensive culture training and her personal approach based on Argentinian roots. She is taking local level experiences and teaching successful best practices at the national level.
Partnering to prevent home fires
Recently, Monica and other Red Cross volunteers and employees teamed up with Painesville, Ohio-based HOLAOhio and their local fire department to install smoke alarms in the Latino community. HOLA was founded in late 1999 as an informal group of Hispanic women in Lake County who wanted to help the growing Latino community, comprised of Mexican immigrant workers employed by area nurseries and their families. Few services were accessible to this demographic, and HOLA worked to bridge gaps. Today, HOLA is an award-winning, 501c3 charitable nonprofit organization that works with families across the state. A team comprised of Spanish-language interpreters from HOLA Ohio joined members of the Painesville Fire Department and staff and volunteers from the American Red Cross Northern Ohio region on Oct. 9 to provide fire safety education and install 62 smoke alarms in 25 homes in Painesville and Perry. HOLA’s support provided a trusting platform for the Red Cross to go into their homes, to provide a positive program with action and to teach that the Red Cross cares about their community. This partnership was a wonderful first step of this type of co-op programming in Northern Ohio. Read about the effort on our blog HERE.
HOLA’s work has been spotlighted in the Los Angeles Times,Washington Post and Telemundo, and has been recognized with numerous awards, including a Torchlight Prize, a prestigious national award honoring community-driven work that empowers the Latino community. Recently, founding executive director Veronica Dahlberg was named a 2019 Crain’s Cleveland Business Woman of Note.
Click on the donate link to make a secure donation online: http://holatoday.org/donate/ You may also mail a check to: HOLA Ohio PO Box 3066 Ashtabula, OH 44005-3066
If you have questions about your donation, please contact Kelsey at kelsey@holaohio.org
Seeking Latino volunteers and blood donors
The Northern Ohio Red Cross has a need for Latino volunteers to help us grow our mission in their communities.
Every day, blood donors help patients of all ages: accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer. In fact, every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
There is a constant need for all blood types, but the demand is often higher for types O and B blood. Some ethnic groups have higher frequencies of these blood types and play a key role in ensuring availability for patients.
Latino populations have a higher frequency of type O blood than other ethnicities.
Type O positive blood is the most transfused blood type.
Type O negative is the universal blood type which can be transfused to patients of any other blood type and is routinely in short supply.
More than half of all Latinos in the U.S. have type O blood.
This is serious: The national American Red Cross blood inventory is the lowest it has been at this time of year since 2015. Donors of all blood types – especially type O – and platelet donors are urged to make an appointment to give now and in the weeks ahead to overcome an emergency shortage.
Blood donor turnout has reached the lowest levels of the year as many delayed giving amid a return to the workplace and in-person learning, as well as a recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the country due to the delta variant. As cases spiked in August, blood donor participation decreased about 10%, but blood product distributions to hospitals have remained strong, significantly outpacing blood donations in recent weeks.
Patients, including those facing cancer, rely on the kindness of blood and platelet donors to help ensure they have the blood products they need for treatment. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, the Red Cross encourages eligible donors roll up a sleeve to provide hope and healing to cancer patients.
According to the National Cancer Institute, roughly 1.9 million people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. this year, and more than 281,000 of those individuals will have breast cancer. Patients with breast cancer and other cancers may need blood products on a regular basis during chemotherapy, surgery or treatment for complications. Platelet transfusions are often needed by patients to help prevent life-threatening bleeding. More than half of all platelets collected by the Red Cross are used by patients with cancer.
Here are 3 easy ways YOU can help restock the shelves:
Make an appointment to give blood or platelets by downloading the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Let your friends and family know there is an emergency blood shortage.
Invite someone to donate with you.
One act of kindness deserves another
All those who come to donate in October will receive a link by email to claim a free Zaxby’s Signature Sandwich reward or get a $5 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice. Terms and conditions apply; see rcblood.org/zax for details.
Blood drive safety
Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including face masks for donors and staff, regardless of vaccination status – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive.
Next week is National Fire Prevention Week and the American Red Cross wants to ensure everyone is prepared should they experience a home fire. So far in 2021, Ohio has had 95 home fire fatalities vs. 67 in 2020.
We lost four on-duty firefighters in 2021 and the year is not over. These heroes were willing to give up their lives to help save lives of fellow Ohioans.
Could your family escape in 2 minutes in case of a home fire?
A survey conducted for the Red Cross, shows that people mistakenly believe they have more time than they really do to escape a burning home. Fire experts agree that people may have as little as two minutes to escape before it’s too late to get out. But most Americans (62%) mistakenly believe they have at least five minutes to escape, more than twice the amount they have. Nearly 18% mistakenly believe they have ten minutes or more to get out.
The American Red Cross urges everyone prepare by practicing their home fire escape plan and testing their smoke alarms.
1. Practice a 2-Minute Fire Drill
Use our worksheet to draw your home’s floor plan and plot your escape routes.
Practice your 2-minute drill (from home to a safe meeting place) at least twice a year.
Everyone in your household should know two ways to escape from each room in your home.
In a real fire, remember to get out, stay out and call 911. Never go back inside for people, pets or things.
2. Test Your Smoke Alarms Monthly
Test your smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button.
You should hear three beeps, letting you know the alarm is working.
Don’t hear the beeps? Then it’s time to change the batteries if your model requires them.
If your smoke alarm is 10 years old, it’s time to get a new alarm because the sensor becomes less sensitive over time.
Teach kids about preparedness
Our age-appropriate preparedness materials include engaging activities and easy action steps that youth will find both fun and effective.
Volunteer to help those affected by home fires
Join your local Red Cross to help families prepare for, respond to, and recover from home fire. The need for volunteers continues amidst a busy disaster season. Disaster action team members from the Red Cross Northern Ohio Region responded to nine local events over the weekend, all of them home fires. Several individuals were affected, including 30 adults and 7 children. The Red Cross provided more than $10,400 in immediate assistance.
Make a donation
Your financial gift allows the Red Cross to provide food, comfort and aid to those who have lost their home to fire. It also helps us install free smoke alarms and educate families on fire safety.
Be prepared before disaster strikes
Be prepared for disasters and other emergencies with a well-stocked emergency kit for your home, workplace and automobile. Choose from a variety of survival kits and emergency preparedness supplies to help you plan ahead for tornadoes, flooding, fire and other disasters.
National Good Neighbor Day is September 28, a day that celebrates our neighbors and encourages us to get to know our community better. Neighbors look out for one another and help each other out.
Good Neighbor Day was created in the 1970s in Lakeside, Montana, and President Jimmy Carter in 1978 proclaimed the day, saying: “Understanding, love and respect build cohesive families and communities. The same bonds cement our nation and the nations of the world. For most of us, this sense of community is nurtured and expressed in our neighborhoods where we give each other an opportunity to share and feel part of a larger family.”
Neighbors extend past the individuals who share a common wall or property line. At the American Red Cross, our communities are our neighbors. Whether they are next door or beyond, the Red Cross works to help and support individuals who are in need—after a disaster, when a blood donation is needed or preparing before the next disaster strikes.
This Good Neighbor Day, there are many ways you can give back to your Northern Ohio neighbors through the Red Cross.
Donate. There are different ways you can make a financial contribution to support the work of the Red Cross, both in your local community and around the world.
Give Blood. Donating blood is a simple thing you can do to help save lives. Blood donations help people going through cancer treatment, having surgery, who have chronic illnesses and those who experience traumatic injuries. The Red Cross holds blood drives across Northern Ohio every week. You can find and sign up for an upcoming blood drive here.
Volunteer. 90% of the Red Cross workforce are volunteers. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available right here in our area. You can learn more and apply to be a volunteer in Northern Ohio here.
Learn a Lifesaving Skill. The Red Cross has been teaching emergency and safety training for more than a century. You can learn first aid, be trained in administering CPR or using an AED, to be prepared for when a need for these skills arises. You can review and sign up for a class here.
There are endless possibilities of ways you can be a good neighbor and help give back to the community. You never know how one small act of kindness can impact a neighbor near you.
Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer
NOHredcross 