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Tag Archives: Partners

A Community United after Tragedy in Oakland

Posted on October 6, 2026 by redcrossnorcalstaff

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee visited the Oakland shelter to meet those affected by the fire. Photographer: Chris Raponi | American Red Cross

By: Carolina Dratva, American Red Cross Volunteer

When I arrived at a shelter in Oakland, Calif., set up in the wake of a devastating apartment fire, I immediately noticed a young girl. She was no older than 13 and was caring for her six-month-old sister, the youngest resident in the shelter. I could only imagine the fear and uncertainty they must have experienced after being forced to evacuate a fire so severe that it left approximately 70 people displaced and sent four people to the hospital.

Michael Weber’s Decades of Donations to the Red Cross

Posted on August 6, 2026 by Michelle Limpe

Michael donates blood at the Pleasanton Red Cross donation center, just a three-minute walk from his office at Simpson Strong-Tie.

The work of the American Red Cross would not be possible without the many volunteers and donors who selflessly continue to give their time and resources in support of the organization’s mission. Michael Weber is one of those supporters who has donated both blood and funds several times, exemplifying the values and company culture of his employer, Simpson Strong-Tie.

Mutual Support and Monthly Meals: The Red Cross Mission at Fisher House

Posted on July 2, 2026 by larrydietz

Connie Borrego (L), Roxanne Anderson (M) and Liz Dietz (R) serving dinner outdoors.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, has over 9 million veterans enrolled in its health care system. Veterans often require extensive medical care, which puts a strain on families who don’t live near VA hospitals yet want to be with their loved ones. A core mission of the American Red Cross is to provide humanitarian support to military members and their families and for the past two years, the Red Cross has partnered with Fisher House as a key resource for veteran families during health crises.

Colleagues Connect to Make Community Safer

Posted on May 3, 2026 by Dej Knuckey

Vanir team ready to head out to install smoke alarms for community members in Richmond, Calif., for Sound the Alarm. L to R: Project Directors Santiago Harris and Cymbre Potter, Construction Manager Tierra Andrews, and Senior Project Manager Laurence Maller

On a cool Saturday morning in Richmond, Calif., a group of colleagues from construction management company Vanir traded hard hats and project schedules for clipboards and smoke alarms. They were part of the American Red Cross Sound the Alarm campaign, installing free smoke alarms and sharing fire safety information in at-risk communities.

But for this team, the day was about more than just service. It was also about connection.

Laura’s Lesson from Alaska: Appreciating the Communities We Serve

Posted on April 7, 2026 by Michelle Limpe

Laura (in purple) with other Red Cross volunteers who deployed to the same shelter in Anchorage.

Being called to assist those whose lives have been upended by a natural disaster is not only an opportunity to provide aid and service. A deployment is also a unique opportunity for cultural exchange, and Laura Hovden’s deployment to Alaska in the wake of Typhoon Halong in October 2025 was a testament to that.

Laura first got involved in local disaster management volunteer opportunities with the American Red Cross in 2014. Once her children left home for college, she left her own backyard to deploy to natural disasters across the country. She focused on organizing shelters during her initial deployments, but she soon secured more responsibilities as part of the Mass Care team that manages relief operations for larger natural disasters.

Making Life on the Water Safer

Posted on March 31, 2026 by Marcia Antipa

Red Cross Volunteers bring home fire safety to the floating homes of Sausalito

Catherine Lee, Ron Lau, Vincent Valenzuela, Lesley Carmichael and Claire Cannariato (L to R) prepare to install smoke alarms in floating homes

“You’re on the water. You’ve got wildlife out your window. You’ve got the sun playing off the water.”

That’s how Flo Hoylman describes living aboard a houseboat in Sausalito, Calif., just north of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge. But Flo, who serves on the board of the Sausalito Floating Homes Association, knows she and her neighbors on the water are just as susceptible to fires as any other Californians.

“We still burn. And if there was a fire, like there was in Santa Rosa, the embers would come down on us, too.”

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