Author Archives: Michelle Limpe

From wildfire survivor to Red Cross donor, Selma continues to pay it forward

Posted on by

In 2017, the infamous Tubbs Fire wrecked numerous counties in Northern California, notably the Napa, Sonoma, and Lake Counties, destroying more than half of the homes in the area and displacing over 100,000 people. Starting on Oct. 8, the wildfire burned for 23 days until it was finally put out on Oct. 31. The Tubbs Fire became known as the most destructive fire in California at the time it happened, which left many fire victims with the burden of rebuilding their lives.

Selma Vandermade was unfortunately one of the many affected by the fires in Santa Rosa, which bore the brunt of the Tubbs Fire’s destruction. Having been supported by the American Red Cross herself during this tragic situation, Selma has been returning the favor as a prominent Red Cross donor and Tiffany Circle member.

Selma recalled the night of the fire itself, describing the moment when she had to leave her beloved home.

Read more

Leading Communities of Women: Amy Dornbusch’s Philanthropy with the Red Cross 

Posted on by

In the philanthropic community, women are increasingly shaping how we champion impact, and Amy Dornbusch stands at the forefront of this movement. With a distinguished career in startup investments and having held numerous board positions, Dornbusch brings a unique blend of strategic business planning and deep empathy to her initiatives. Her years of dedicated philanthropy eventually led her to the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle, where she continues to inspire other women to collectively give and mobilize the vital work of our organization. 

Amy Dornbusch shows off her red bandage following her blood donation, which she made prior to attending the 30th Anniversary Red Cross Gala.

The Tiffany Circle is a community within the Red Cross composed of women leaders that have made a commitment to advancing the organization’s mission together through women empowerment and focused investment of time and funds. With economists projecting that roughly $30 trillion will move into women’s hands over the next few years, Dornbusch observes that the impending great wealth transfer places women in an integral position to make significant impacts through their philanthropic work, emphasizing the importance of the Tiffany Circle as a key mechanism for engaging donors. 

“We talk a lot about this ‘fight or flight or freeze’ response to crises, but I heard there’s another reaction, which is what women do in moments of crises: flight, freeze, and flock,” Dornbusch said.

Read more

Melody Yamaguchi’s lifelong service to the Red Cross mission 

Posted on by

For many people, donating blood to the American Red Cross is not just a single act but a lifelong commitment to the humanitarian mission. Melody Yamaguchi is one of the super donors that has been donating blood since she was 18 years old, after getting inspired by her older sister. Through the changes and challenges in Melody’s life, she always found her way back to serving the mission of the Red Cross.  

Melody’s smile shines through a lifetime of change and challenges.

“During my cancer imaging, surgeries and radiation, my children and I were scared. All my energy went into supporting my children and finding my courage within.”

“I’m not an exceptional person, but through Red Cross blood donation, I’ve had the ability to do something extraordinary.”

–Melody Yamaguchi

Melody embraces the moment in her youth with a timeless look.
Read more

On the Frontlines of Relief: A Volunteer’s Perspective from the Southern California Wildfires

Posted on by
Kaia ready to go for her first Red Cross deployment

Kaia Newsam was out the door, ready to head to Los Angeles as soon as she got the call from the American Red Cross to respond to the Southern California wildfires. Even if this was her first volunteer mission with the Red Cross, Kaia was equipped to volunteer, having already completed the necessary training.

A recent graduate from U.C. Berkeley and now based in Merced, Kaia has been studying for the MCAT in preparation for medical school applications, which left her with free time to answer the call for volunteers.

“I was a brand new volunteer still going through my training and I just happened to be able to do all of the sheltering training in one day,” she said. “Deploying to the L.A. fires was my first experience volunteering at the Red Cross, which is a crazy thing to leave for two weeks to do.”

Read more

Health, Hunger and Housing: How the Red Cross partners with local non-profits to support high risk communities in Central Coast

Posted on by
From left to right: Maria, Gabriela, and Lucy are leading the new CAP chapter in Monterey. Photo Courtesy of CAP team.

When natural disasters sweep across regions repeatedly, it takes a lot of strength and resilience from communities to rebuild their lives. For some folks, it can take a greater effort to reestablish a sense of normalcy due to the lack of resources in the area or their socioeconomic conditions. The Community Adaptation Program (CAP) is a recent initiative by the American Red Cross designed to bring relief to regions that experience high risk of disasters through partnerships with local nonprofit organizations. One of the newest additions to the CAP’s locations across the country was just established in Monterey County, California.

CAP focuses on addressing three key areas through its initiatives: health, hunger and housing. Each CAP team is composed of a manager and two coordinators who work together to foster and sustain the connection between the Red Cross and local partners. The community of Pajaro in Monterey was a strong contender for needing these services due to reoccurring natural disasters that devasted the area. the area.

Read more

Discovery of his rare blood type leads Pastor Riley to join the Red Cross mission

Posted on by
Pastor Riley praying over a wounded service member in Afghanistan.
Photo courtesy of Frank Riley

As the largest non-profit humanitarian international organization, the American Red Cross unites volunteers globally in a common mission of service to others — a mission that blood donor Frank Riley strongly believes in. From his time serving in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps to serving his communities as a pastor, Frank has made it a priority to live out the Red Cross mission in every aspect of his life.

Frank has been a consistent blood donor since 2008 after learning that he has cytomegalovirus (CMV) negative blood, a rare blood type needed by premature babies and children with weakened immune systems. He was informed of his rare blood type during his first donation at a drive hosted by the Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Read more
« Older Entries