Tag Archives: Central Coast

2025 Chapter Focused Volunteer Awards

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Each year, our chapter proudly honors two extraordinary individuals whose dedication and service embody the very heart of the American Red Cross mission. The Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to a volunteer who has made a significant impact over the past year—contributing meaningfully to our operations, programs, and services while exemplifying the true spirit of volunteerism. The Clara Barton Honor Award for Meritorious Leadership, our chapter’s highest, once-in-a-lifetime recognition, celebrates a volunteer whose sustained leadership and collaborative spirit over many years have helped shape and strengthen our ability to serve the community. Join us in celebrating this year’s remarkable honorees.

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Community Adaptation Program Celebrates One Year in Monterey County

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The Community Adaptation Program team together at the 2025 American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region Gala. Pictured are Lucy Rojas (left), Gabriela Perez Albarracin (middle) and Maria Magaña (right).

By Mark Phillips, Board Member Central Coast Chapter

The American Red Cross Community Adaptation Program (CAP) is an initiative to enhance the ability of local and hyper-local organizations to provide services during disasters. The Red Cross leverages its expertise, partnerships and network to level up the impact of the grassroots organizations that know their communities best. By building the capability, capacity and continuity of these groups during blue sky periods, they are better able to provide vital services during trying times.

CAP came to Monterey County in July of 2024, when Gabriela Perez Albarracin joined the area from the Lake County, California. Under her leadership, the first year of CAP activity in Monterey County has had a number of successes and laid the groundwork for an impactful year two.

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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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