SAN JOSE, CA (June 14, 2018) – The American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley is currently seeking nominations for Silicon Valley Heroes 2018. Each year, the American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley recognizes individuals who work or live in Santa Clara County, who have shown courage, dedication, and character through acts of heroism and kindness. These people could be your neighbors, co-workers, friends, or family. Extraordinary acts of heroism occur in our community every day. Help us identify our local community heroes by completing our online nomination form below and spread the word.

The community is encouraged to nominate a hero at redcross.org/SVHeroes for one of the following categories:

• Blood Services Hero: This award is given to someone who has played a significant role in efforts to promote and build the community’s lifesaving blood supply or has been a part of scientific advancements to the biomedical community.
• Disaster Services Hero: This award is presented to an individual who has shown extraordinary courage in the face of a disaster or emergency, or made a significant contribution to their community’s disaster preparedness, resilience, or recovery.
• Education Hero: This award is given to a professional or volunteer educator (in elementary, middle school, high school, college or adult education) whose actions have had a profound influence on their student(s) or members of their community.
• Environment Hero: This award is given to an individual who has had a significant impact on the protection and caring for the environment and is vital in changing the way their community cares for the environment.
• First Responder Hero: This award is given to a professional first responder, such as a police officer, deputy sheriff, firefighter, search & rescue team member, or 911 dispatcher, whose lifesaving action or service to the community goes above and beyond the call of duty.
• Healthcare Hero: This award is given to a healthcare professional, such as a physician, nurse, or paramedic, whose life-saving actions or service to the community went above and beyond the call of duty. This award honors an extraordinary commitment to saving/improving lives or treating illnesses.
• Humanitarian Hero - Adult: This award is given to an ordinary citizen (adult) who used life-saving skills (such as CPR, water rescue, or first aid) to assist or save the life of another or to a person whose actions have made a significant contribution toward the betterment of his or her community.
• Humanitarian Hero - Youth: This award is given to an ordinary citizen (youth) who used life-saving skills (such as CPR, water rescue or first aid) to assist or save the life of another or to a person whose actions have made a significant contribution toward the betterment of his or her community.
• International Services Hero: This award is presented to someone who has provided outstanding service to the community in the field of international services, including but not limited to international humanitarian aid, refugee support, restoring displaced families, etc.
• Service to the Armed Forces Hero: This award is given to someone who has provided exceptional support to armed forces services members, veterans, or their families. This award may also be given to a member of our armed forces (active, reserve, National Guard, retired, commissioned or non-commissioned) whose lifesaving actions or service to the community went above and beyond the call of duty.

The deadline to submit nominations is Sunday, July 8, 2018. Any of these categories can be awarded as a posthumous award. The 2018 Silicon Valley Heroes Award recipients will be selected by a committee of local community leaders based on the degree to which their acts of heroism uphold the values of the American Red Cross and leave a lasting and positive impact on the residents of the Silicon Valley.

Criteria for Nominations:

• All nominees must work or reside in Santa Clara County. The heroic acts may have occurred elsewhere.
• The heroic event must be either an ongoing commitment to the community for more than one year or have occurred between January 1, 2017 – May 30, 2018.
• Nominations must be received by Sunday, July 8, 2018.

Selected heroes will be honored by the American Red Cross of Silicon Valley at an exclusive evening networking event on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 taking place at the lush and historic 175-acre Villa Montalvo estate to honor our local heroes while supporting the work of the Red Cross in Silicon Valley, across the country and around the world!

Learn how to nominate your hero, the hero categories and how to sponsor this truly inspirational event by visiting redcross.org/SVHeroes.

About the American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds, and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. The American Red Cross of the Silicon Valley serves the residents of Santa Clara County.  For more information on disaster preparedness, health and safety classes, volunteer opportunities, and financial contributions visit our website at redcross.org/siliconvalley or call us at 1-877-727-6771. You may also find us on Facebook and Twitter.