DECEMBER 2, 2025 — In 2025, local volunteers became a lifeline for thousands of neighbors reeling from disasters in the American Red Cross Central California Region.

In a powerful display of community, hundreds of local volunteers responded alongside partners to provide safe refuge, hot meals, emotional support, and basic health services for families devastated by wildfires, home fires and flooding. The Red Cross also distributed more than $690,000 in financial assistance directly to hundreds of households recovering in 2025 from disasters of all sizes in the Central California Region.

The need for this support shows no sign of slowing down. In the U.S., Red Cross home fire responses spike nearly 20% during the holidays, when families face increased fire risks such as cooking and heating. Just in the Central California Region, over 350 people rely on the Red Cross after home fires in a typical November and December. 

“When an emergency strikes, it doesn’t matter what day or time, our volunteers are there to help” said Siana Gildard, Regional Chief Development Officer, Central California Region of the American Red Cross. “It's the incredible generosity of our donors that allows our teams to respond immediately with essential aid and a message of hope. Every contribution ensures we can lift up our community, turning the darkest hour of a disaster into the first moment of recovery.”

This holiday season, visit our Year in Review website to make a financial donation or to give back through volunteering. You can also make an appointment to give blood. The need for blood is constant — and just like disasters, medical emergencies don’t take holidays.

Also in 2025: How Local Responders Helped Disaster Survivors, Hospital Patients and Military Families:

• Hundreds of local volunteers delivered aid for major disasters across the country, including the LA wildfires, tornadoes across the Midwest, Typhoon Halong in Alaska and flooding. Responding to disasters is a team effort, and as they become more frequent and intense, families are relying on volunteers for support.
• Thousands of local blood and platelet donors helped save lives in Southern California and across the country, including people facing life-threatening conditions like cancer, sickle cell disease, childbirth complications and traumatic injuries. Patients rely on a consistent blood supply to survive and heal — and it’s the blood already on the shelves that helps save lives in an emergency.
• Local volunteers and staff provided an average of 9,500 critical community services to members of the military and veteran communities across the Central California Region. Local staff also provided a touch of home for deployed service members on U.S. military installation and deployment sites worldwide. Red Cross staff serve as a critical link to connect service members with their loved ones during family crises through the 24/7 Red Cross Hero Care Network.

Visit our Year in Review website for stories about how people from the Central California Region helped in 2025. 

About GivingTuesday:

GivingTuesday is an annual event dedicated to boosting radical generosity, held on the Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Created in 2012 at New York’s 92nd Street Y, the idea behind GivingTuesday was to set aside a single day to give back. Over 13 years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires millions of people to donate, volunteer and spread awareness. For many nonprofits, funds raised on GivingTuesday serve as an important kickoff for year-end charitable campaigns.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.