Among the unsung heroes of American Red Cross disaster responses are the families of Red Cross volunteers, whose loved ones may be away for holidays and important occasions while they are helping those affected by a disaster. Then there are those couples who eliminate that problem by joining the Red Cross together with their family members.
Read moreNational Heart Month is a reminder of something simple but powerful: in the moments when a life hangs in the balance, it’s often a nearby neighbor or a Good Samaritan who becomes the first source of hope. Cardiac emergencies can happen anywhere — at a food distribution site, in a community center or during an ordinary day — and when they do, the people closest to us are the ones who make the difference.
That spirit of looking out for one another is what drives the American Red Cross Community Adaptation Program in Tulare County. As one of only 19 communities nationwide chosen for this long‑term investment, Tulare County is building preparedness from the inside out — through the people who already care for their neighborhoods every day.
Read moreShe still remembers her first missing persons case from eight years ago. An older woman was frantically looking for her daughter and granddaughter who had disappeared after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas and Louisiana. Kathy Kennard, an American Red Cross volunteer, was assigned to track them down, and eventually located the pair!
“She sobbed and sobbed when I told her they were safe in a shelter,” remembers Kathy, who is a Reunification supervisor for the Red Cross. “It’s the most rewarding thing.”
Read moreBy Tyniquea Edwards, Red Cross Volunteer
Some stories remind us that service is more than a calling—it’s a thread that weaves lives together. This is one of those stories.
If you ask Gerald to describe himself, he won’t start with titles, ranks or achievements. He’ll simply say, “I’m just Gerald — someone who cares about people, someone willing to listen and someone who’ll help however he can.”
That’s how he moves through the world: grounded, steady and guided by values instilled long before he ever wore a Marine Corps uniform or stepped into a technology leadership role.
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