National Heart Month is a reminder of something simple but powerful: in the moments when a life hangs in the balance, it’s often a nearby neighbor or a Good Samaritan who becomes the first source of hope. Cardiac emergencies can happen anywhere — at a food distribution site, in a community center or during an ordinary day — and when they do, the people closest to us are the ones who make the difference.
That spirit of looking out for one another is what drives the American Red Cross Community Adaptation Program in Tulare County. As one of only 19 communities nationwide chosen for this long‑term investment, Tulare County is building preparedness from the inside out — through the people who already care for their neighborhoods every day.
If you ask Gerald to describe himself, he won’t start with titles, ranks or achievements. He’ll simply say, “I’m just Gerald — someone who cares about people, someone willing to listen and someone who’ll help however he can.”
That’s how he moves through the world: grounded, steady and guided by values instilled long before he ever wore a Marine Corps uniform or stepped into a technology leadership role.
Just four days after graduating high school in the Central Valley, she joined the United States Marine Corps to see the world. For four years, she learned resilience, teamwork and the joy of being part of something bigger than herself.
That same spirit carried her to the American Red Cross.
Susan finds camaraderie among fellow veterans who continue their service through the American Red Cross.
From Rhode Island to California, Susan has stood shoulder to shoulder with others in times of crisis as a Red Cross volunteer. Whether it was walking through flooded streets after Hurricane Irma to deliver meals, comforting families in devastated neighborhoods, or finding strength in the bonds of a new family of volunteers.
“I’ve never been that close to the damage before,” Susan recalled her Hurricane Irma experience as an Emergency Response Vehicle driver tasked with delivering meals and essential supplies. “To go in there and be able to help, it’s a good feeling. And of course, this group of people… you feel like family.”
Today, Susan continues to show up when her neighbors need help. As a Disaster Action Team volunteer, she serves on a team that helps deliver immediate relief, emotional support and long-term recovery resources to people who just experienced a home fire. Thanks to volunteers like her, when disaster strikes, we make sure families never face it alone.
But her Red Cross adventure doesn’t end there. When large disasters strike, she’s ready to help open emergency shelters here at home or across the country as a shelter worker. When a community calls upon the Red Cross, trained and compassionate volunteers show up when help can’t wait.
Whether you want to lend a hand during disasters, support lifesaving preparedness efforts or help behind the scenes — there’s a meaningful role for you here.
Each day, our volunteers support blood drives, assist the military, veterans and military families and provide food and shelter after disasters of all sizes. They teach lifesaving classes like First Aid and CPR and help restore order in other countries through programs such as Restoring Family Links and International Humanitarian Law. Our volunteer opportunities match a wide range of interests and time commitment.
Join our team of changemakers working together to make an impact. Every contribution matters — find the best way for you to get involved. Sign up here today and help our community with one act of kindness at a time.
Andrew Rosenberg worked alongside the HQ Shelter Manager, Tonya, coordinating shelter efforts from HQ.
As winter storms have affected South Carolina over the past two weeks, many American Red Cross employees and volunteers deployed to the Palmetto State to help those in need. One of those employees was Andrew Rosenberg, who traveled from California.
Andrew is a community disaster program manager in the Northern California Coastal Region, based in San Francisco.
He believes deploying and helping others is incredibly important.
Businesses in downtown San Francisco were closed due to the power outage
By Veronica Oberholzer
I love the Christmas season and am always looking for new holiday activities. On Saturday, December 20, I took BART from my home in Oakland to the Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts in San Francisco to see a 2 p.m. Christmas Ballet.
The theater was a dark cocoon from the outside world during the beautiful performance. In a funny piece of foreshadowing, I thought that anything could be happening in the world outside, and we wouldn’t know about it until the show was over.
