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9/11 Anniversary: After Decades of Deployments, One Experience Shaped Them All

Posted on September 11, 2026 by redcrossnorcalstaff

By: Jill Feldon, American Red Cross volunteer

Diane St. Denis has deployed more than 30 times over 31 years with the American Red Cross, helping people in the aftermath of terrible floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires across the country. But nothing affected her more than her volunteer experience at the World Trade Center following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

“It was really the first time I truly understood that what we do makes a difference in people’s lives,” said Diane.

Diane St. Denis has worked as a nurse and volunteered with the American Red Cross for more than 30 years, helping people following disasters of all kinds. But she said she never understood the difference she makes with the Red Cross until her experience after 9/11. — Diane St. Denis has worked as a nurse and volunteered with the American Red Cross for more than 30 years, helping people following disasters of all kinds. But she said she never understood the difference she makes until her Red Cross experience after 9/11.

Twenty-five years ago today, the American Red Cross responded to the tragedy by helping people around the country and the world. More than $1.1 billion in generous donations were used to fund massive relief and recovery efforts and help more than 59,000 families affected by the terrorist attacks. The Red Cross held blood donation drives, served millions of meals and snacks, opened dozens of shelters for people who were left stranded and connected countless people to emotional support and health services. It was one of the largest disaster responses in history – made possible thanks to volunteers like Diane.

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One Year Later: Resilience (and Romance) in the Wake of Devastating Disaster

Posted on September 2, 2026 by redcrossnorcalstaff

By Barbara Wood, American Red Cross volunteer

Polina Ken searches through the ashes on her property. She saved almost nothing from the flames because she was outside watering down her home when she was told to evacuate, jumping in her car with only her phone and the clothes she was wearing after trying unsuccessfully to find her dog, Waldo.

What happened to Polina Ken one year ago on September 2, 2025, when a lightning-sparked fire turned her Chinese Camp home and almost everything she owned to ash and mangled metal, might lead some to self-pity.

Not Polina, who as a Cambodian refugee has had to rebuild her life from scratch more than once.

“I’m tough. I do anything to survive. I don’t give up,” Polina said after the fire.

Resilience After Disasters

Posted on July 31, 2026 by redcrossnorcalstaff

By Executive Director of Central Valley Chapter Lori Wilson

CORRECTION (July 31, 2026): An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Mayor Camacho of Saipan as former Mayor Carlos Camacho from Guam. The error has been corrected.

In July, I had the privilege of touring the island of Saipan with Mayor Camacho as an Elected Official Liaison (EOL), visiting families whose lives have been deeply affected by Typhoons Sinlaku and Bavi alongside him. As we went from home to home, we listened to their stories, learned about their most pressing needs and witnessed firsthand the remarkable resilience that continues to shine through despite so much loss and uncertainty.

Gale Carli’s Journey to Saipan Revealed the Best of Humanity After Disaster

Posted on July 7, 2026 by Julie Uiterwijk

When retired nurse Gale Carli from San Mateo County arrived in Saipan seven days after Super Typhoon Sinlaku devastated the U.S. territory in the western Pacific Ocean, the signs of destruction were impossible to miss.

Red Cross volunteer Gale Carli in Saipan.

“The electricity was off, so driving was treacherous,” Carli recalled. “There were trees down, power poles down, lights down, and you could tell that something disastrous had happened.”

Sinlaku, an exceptionally powerful Category 5-equivalent storm, blew through the Northern Mariana Islands in mid-April, unleashing catastrophic flooding and sustained winds approaching 180 miles per hour. The storm left the tourism-dependent island struggling to recover. Trees were stripped bare, roads were littered with debris, and much of the lush tropical landscape had turned brown after exposure to salt water.

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.

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