Tag Archives: Northern Ohio

Longtime Red Cross board member making a difference in North Central Ohio

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Note: To celebrate National Volunteer Week, we are featuring profiles of some of the volunteers who help the Red Cross fulfill its mission in Northern Ohio

By Doug Bardwell, American Red Cross volunteer

April 22, 2020- Successful nonprofits can often trace their success back to a strong and dynamic board of directors. Such is the case in Findlay, Ohio, where Michael Epps, a commercial lender with Waterford Bank, N.A. has long been involved with the local American Red Cross chapter, serving eight years as a board member and two years as board chairman.

“Mike Epps is a passionate, strong volunteer leader for the North Central Ohio Chapter,” said Todd James, executive director of the chapter. ”He started volunteering with the chapter’s annual Oscar Night gala more than 10 years ago.”

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Mike Epps

“I first got involved as a community participant with the fundraiser during its second year in Findlay,” recalled Mike. Serving in a variety of roles from fundraising to logistics coordinator, he eventually chaired the committee for six years.

“We had a really great dynamic committee and were able to grow that into one of the more well-known, well-attended and, candidly, well-funded philanthropic events in town. A couple years ago, we raised more than $100,000 on that one event.”

“There’s a lot of competition for the philanthropic dollars within this community, so we felt good about that,” stated Mike, “but also we got a lot of feedback about how much joy people had at the event and how it raised awareness of the Red Cross mission.”

If you want to help your local community, but unsure of how you can help the Red Cross, well do not worry because there is a role for everyone to play to help the Red Cross mission. The most urgent needs are blood donor ambassadors, blood transportation specialists, disaster responders and virtual volunteers. Find our more at https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/become-a-volunteer.html.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

 

National Volunteer Week – opportunity to recognize the selflessness of Red Cross volunteers

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By Eric Alves, Regional Communications Specialist, American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

April 17, 2020- National Volunteer Week is April 19 to 25, and it gives the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio an opportunity to honor the volunteers who are helping people in need, even during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Emergencies don’t stop, and neither do local Red Cross volunteers, who are still providing care and comfort after disasters of all sizes, including home fires.

Next week, we will be featuring profiles of volunteers from the Northern Ohio Region, written by volunteers, right here on our regional blog. Be sure to subscribe to our blog; that way you will receive an email notification and will not miss any of these incredible volunteer-inspired articles.

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Due to this coronavirus outbreak, volunteers are providing relief services after home fires virtually, in coordination with local fire departments. Connecting with families by phone or video calls, we’re helping to provide support like lodging, health and mental health services, and emergency financial assistance, as well as link people to available recovery resources.

Here in Northern Ohio, there are 2,176 volunteers, who help support blood collections, provide emergency assistance to military families, respond to home fires in the middle of the night and so much more. These individuals are also among the more than 300,000 volunteers who comprise more than 90 percent of the national Red Cross workforce.

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Red Cross volunteers keep our communities strong,” said Mike Parks, regional CEO for the Northern Ohio Region. “We honor these true heroes who give their time to help people in need.”

BECOME A VOLUNTEER Our need for volunteers is constant and continues to evolve as we navigate this coronavirus health crisis. Volunteer opportunities include supporting blood donations and delivering much-needed disaster services to your community. We even have a wide variety of volunteer-from-home opportunities available. Find out more.

Interested in serving? Everyone’s safety is our top priority. Please review Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for people who are at higher risk for severe illness, consult your healthcare provider and follow local guidance.

Red Cross Northern Ohio Region thanks Progressive and Marathon Petroleum for generous, lifesaving support

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By Tim Poe, American Red Cross Volunteer

April 15, 2020- The COVID-19 pandemic is presenting one of humanity’s greatest challenges, one which the American Red Cross is working diligently to meet. Two Northern Ohio-based companies and their foundations, The Progressive Corporation/The Progressive Insurance Foundation and Marathon Petroleum Corporation/Marathon Petroleum Foundation, Inc., are providing generous support to the Red Cross at this critical time.

Both Progressive and Marathon are including the Red Cross in wide-ranging initiatives to help address vital needs. In addition, Marathon is joining the Red Cross’ Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). It is the second Northern Ohio-based organization to do so, alongside the J.M. Smucker Company.

Progressive contributes as part of its Apron Relief Program

Progressive has provided $2.5 million to the Red Cross as part of a wide-reaching $1 billion package—dubbed the “Apron Relief Program”—to assist its customers, employees, agents and communities. The gift to the Red Cross is part of The Progressive Insurance Foundation’s $8 million donation to charities focused on hunger, health and homelessness.

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In addition to this extraordinary donation, Progressive has partnered with the Red Cross for many years. Progressive’s assistance has included matching its employees’ donations, promoting the Red Cross during times of disaster and recovery, and the regular sponsorship and hosting of blood drives. In fact, Progressive has collected 6,283 pints of blood since it began hosting drives.

Regarding the gift, Michelle Polinko, chief development officer of the Red Cross’ Northern Ohio Region, said, “The Progressive Foundation and the employees of Progressive have been amazing supporters of the Red Cross mission. They have generously donated funds to help us prepare for and respond to disasters, and have provided much-needed blood to help save lives every day. A sincere thanks to Progressive for caring about those in need!”

Information on the full “Apron Relief Program” is available in Progressive’s press release, linked here.

Marathon joins the Red Cross’ Annual Disaster Giving Program and donates N95 masks to healthcare facilities

As part of its COVID-19 pandemic response, The Marathon Petroleum Corporation has donated $1 million to the Red Cross through the Marathon Petroleum Foundation, Inc. Marathon is also donating 575,000 N95 respirator masks to healthcare facilities.

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With this exceptional gift, Marathon joins Smucker’s as the second Northern Ohio-based company to join the Red Cross’ Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). Through the ADGP and Disaster Responder Program, companies, foundations and organizations pledge financial and in-kind support in advance of major disasters. This support allows the Red Cross to prepare for and quickly respond to disasters, wherever and whenever they occur.

As reported in Marathon’s press release, Trevor Riggen, senior vice president of Disaster Services at the American Red Cross, said, “Thanks to partners like the Marathon Petroleum Foundation, the Red Cross can continue to provide food, shelter and care to people impacted by disasters nationwide. We are extremely grateful for their support during this public health crisis.”

More information on Marathon’s assistance is available in its press release, linked here. More information on the ADGP is available here.

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly increased the need for medical supplies, blood and support. Meanwhile, other disasters continue to occur. In Northern Ohio, as everywhere, the Red Cross is deeply committed to helping all of us through these critical times. Thanks to organizations like Progressive and Marathon, we are able to do so.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

American Red Cross of Northeast Ohio now Northern Ohio Region

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Realignment allows Red Cross to provide services efficiently, align with Blood Services

April 6, 2020- The American Red Cross announced today that its Northeast Ohio Region will now be known as the Northern Ohio Region, following a national territorial realignment. The new region will continue to be headquartered at 3747 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland.

The realignment initiative will align Biomedical and Humanitarian Services geographies across the country to truly embrace the organization’s One Red Cross strategy.

As part of the new territorial realignment structure, the Red Cross will transition from 263 to 235 chapters and from 58 to 50 regions nationally. The new Northern Ohio Region will expand from 22 counties to 31 counties and will represent more than 5.3 million residents. While the new region will maintain a five-chapter structure, the geographic boundaries of the chapters, along with some chapter names, will change to better align people and resources to meet the needs of local communities and to ensure a chapter’s capacity to support blood collection.

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“The American Red Cross is excited to announce the formation of the new Northern Ohio Region. This new territorial realignment is not a downsizing, but a structural adjustment to better serve our critical mission and represent our local communities,” stated Mike Parks, Regional CEO of the Northern Ohio Region. “Whether you are living in a county that is now joining our region or you are in a county that is merging with another chapter, I want to assure you that—as it was in the past and will continue to be in the future—the Red Cross will always be present and ready to serve your community. When disasters occur, the Red Cross will be there.”

The Northern Ohio Region will be comprised of the following communities:

  • American Red Cross of Northeast Ohio: Representing Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga and Lake counties. The newly formed chapter will be headquartered in Cleveland (3747 Euclid Avenue) and Regional CEO Mike Parks will serve as the Chapter Executive Director.
  • American Red Cross of Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley: Representing Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Summit and Trumbull counties. The newly formed chapter will be headquartered in Akron (501 West Market Street) and Rachel Telegdy will serve as the Chapter Executive Director.
  • American Red Cross of Heartland, Stark and Muskingum Lakes: Representing Ashland, Carroll, Harrison, Holmes, Stark, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties. The newly formed chapter will be headquartered in Canton (408 9th Street SW) and Kim Kroh will serve as the Chapter Executive Director.
  • American Red Cross of North Central Ohio: Representing Erie, Hancock, Huron, Lorain. Putnam, Seneca and Wyandot counties. The newly formed chapter will be headquartered in Findlay (125 Fair Street) and Todd James will serve as the Chapter Executive Director.
  • American Red Cross of Northwest Ohio: Representing Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood counties, as well as Monroe County in Michigan. The newly formed chapter will be headquartered in Toledo (1111 Research Drive) and Rachel Hepner-Zawodny will serve as the Chapter Executive Director.

For more information on the Northern Ohio Region, visit redcross.org/NOH.

You may also learn more by following the Northern Ohio Region on Facebook at Facebook.com/NOHRedCross, on Twitter at @RedCrossNOH, on Instagram at @NOHRedCross and on LinkedIn at Linkedin.com/in/NOHRedCross.