Tag Archives: Community Organization

Valley Onward and the Red Cross: Building a Culture of Preparedness in Merced County

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As floods ravaged Planada, a small community in central California’s Merced County in 2023, Valley Onward, a local community non-profit organization, deployed its resources to help the local community respond and recover. They advised local residents on how to apply for financial assistance and led community discussions on where to find resources. As part of that process, Valley Onward applied for a grant from the California Office of Emergency Services to bolster its response to the floods and create a more resilient community in Merced County. For Valley Onward, the eventual funding it received was a pleasant surprise. It would allow Valley Onward to strengthen its mission of creating lasting changes in health, housing, education and other areas. There were more surprises to come, however. 

The Valley Onward team applied for a grant from the California Office of Emergency Services.

That is because before applying for the grant, Valley Onward began researching other emergency service organizations in Merced County. As Valley Onward project manager Joana Alfaro explains, “That’s when we first heard about the American Red Cross. We realized there were so many different ways to support and work with the Red Cross.”

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One woman’s road to blood donation supporter begins with a 30-person carpool

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When newlywed Mary Nelson, her husband and about 30 friends met in a Bay Area parking lot one Saturday morning in 1969 to carpool to a blood donation center, little did she know it would lead to a life-long journey dedicated to donating blood.  That journey has provided her with a deep, personal belief in the power of donating.

Mary’s story starts at a popular diner in Alameda, California which Mary and her husband frequented weekly.  One day, they discovered that the diner’s well-liked chef needed emergency kidney surgery.  He required almost 10 pints of blood.  As Mary explains, the chef “had to either pay for the blood or replace it, two pints donated for each used.  So, we got organized.  My husband called the blood bank to see if they did group appointments and scheduled a Saturday. And the bar put up a signup sheet.”

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