Tag Archives: Central Coast

Building un-fur-gettable memories: A Red Cross volunteer helps veterans and dogs connect in the Central Coast Chapter

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Each time a team of dogs and their handlers descends on the Major General William H. Gourley VA-DoD Outpatient Clinic in Marina, California, American Red Cross volunteer Penny Mount cannot help but feel a sense of satisfaction.   She knows these dogs have a meaningful impact on patients, less than a year after their first visit as part of the first Red Cross’s Animal Visitation Program (AVP) in California’s Central Coast.

Penny started the AVP program in November 2024 at the request of her supervisor, Nikki Rowe. She had never built a similar program and “I knew nothing about therapy dogs,” says Penny.  So, she reached out to local resources, including the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. 

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A Courageous Fight with Cancer Inspires Hundreds to Donate, Even Mom

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Kelly Marie Harris Packard, 1991-2024. (Photo courtesy of Diane Harris)

She was a gifted athlete, captain of her team at Scotts Valley High School and an All-American at California Polytechnic State University. Intelligent and having acquired her master’s degree, she worked in New York City with a leading accounting firm before marrying the love of her life and landing her dream job in sports marketing in Portland.

In January 2023, Kelly Harris climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa, with her mother, Diane, and they reached the summit — 19,341 feet up. Shortly thereafter, Kelly was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Kelly began chemotherapy and eventually underwent radiation, all while continuing to work.

“It took a toll on her body,” Diane said. Kelly received platelets and several blood transfusions over the course of her treatment. Realizing how dependent patients are on having a sufficient blood supply for this vital treatment, Kelly organized her own blood drive.

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Rebuilding Pajaro: A Partnership in Action with Hope Crisis Response Network

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Written By: Jillian Robertson

Volunteers with Hope Crisis Response Network help clean up the muck in resident’s homes.

“Pajaro was a really good project,” said Kevin Cox, CEO of Hope Crisis Response Network (HCRN).

In the city of Pajaro, California, HCRN managed the cleanup after the floods, deploying teams from United Methodists, Team Rubicon and others. Compared to other agencies they’ve partnered with in the past where “we were just a conduit,” the American Red Cross relationship was a true partnership characterized by mutual trust.

First, they formed Hope City Resource Village, a place to collaborate with partners and register families for cleanup.

Then the real work began.

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The Black Cloud: A Pajaro Resident’s Story of When the Levees Broke

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Red Crossers surveyed the widespread flooding that left Pajaro underwater, including Joanne’s home (pictured in the distance between the volunteers).

Written by: Jillian Robertson | Senior Manager, Long-Term Recovery Communications, American Red Cross

“People were caught off guard. It was 1 a.m. The levees were breaking, and we were told, ‘You’ve got to go!’ It was very traumatic.”

Joanne Jackson lived with her husband and her daughter in their home in Pajaro, California, before catastrophic floods forced them from their home two years ago, in December 2022.

For Joanne and her husband, they were lucky. The day before, the sheriff had warned them to evacuate. They left in their travel trailer where they’re still living today, as they work on repairs to their home that was rendered uninhabitable by the floods.

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

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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.

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Home fire survivor continues mission of fire prevention through Red Cross partnership

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Nikita Johnson at the CFSBC office
Photo courtesy of Nikita Johnson  

A home fire is one of the many unthinkable, tragic events that cause massive disruptions to the lives of those affected. While these tragedies are often preventable, an American Red Cross survey demonstrated that the majority of Americans are more unprepared to survive a home fire than they believe. This is why the partnership between the Red Cross and the Community Foundation of San Benito County (CFSBC), which started back in 2019, is so integral to protecting communities against home fires.   

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