Media Contact: Martin Gagliano
Telephone: (510)368-8320
martin.gagliano@redcross.org

This holiday season, donate financially or give blood to help those facing future crises
 

SANTA CRUZ (Calif.) December 1, 2022 — 2022 has been a year of crisis for families in the Central Coast Chapter and around the world — from extreme climate disasters to global emergencies like the conflict in Ukraine to the first-ever national American Red Cross blood crisis.

“A crisis can be devastating for an individual, a family and even an entire community. It’s always a challenging scenario, especially for the most vulnerable,” said Michele Averill, CEO for the Red Cross Central Coast Chapter. “This holiday season turn your compassion into action and join us to help those who need it most by making a financial donation or giving blood.”

During the holidays, visit redcross.org to make a financial donation or an appointment to give blood for patients in the U.S. Individuals can also register for volunteer opportunities in their area.

RESPONDING TO DISASTERS OF ALL SIZES This year’s extreme disasters in the U.S. are clear examples of the increasing frequency and intensity of the climate crisis. So far in 2022, 15 billion-dollar disasters have upended lives across the country — more than twice the number of billion-dollar disasters that struck annually two decades ago.

For these and tens of thousands of other disasters in the Central Coast Chapter and across the country, Red Cross volunteers have worked 24/7 to provide shelter, food and care — including providing relief and comfort following 73 home fires and other local disasters within the Central Coast Chapter since January 2022, to help ensure no one faces a crisis of any size alone. Dozens of local volunteers also deployed to help those affected by disasters across the country over the past year, like Hurricanes Ian and Fiona.

HELPING FAMILIES AFFECTED BY GLOBAL EMERGENCIES Internationally, the conflict in Ukraine has forced millions of people to flee for their lives. With such vast needs, the American Red Cross has provided financial donations and international crisis responders to support the global Red Cross network’s response on the ground, which spans more than a dozen neighboring countries to deliver food, shelter, medical care, emotional support and other critical aid for displaced families.

Meanwhile, the American Red Cross has also provided financial support to the ongoing hunger crisis in Africa. Overall this year, as part of the world’s largest humanitarian network, the American Red Cross provided humanitarian aid in more than 108 countries. Here in the Central Coast Chapter, Red Cross international efforts including opening several Restoring Family Links cases, to reunite families separated by war, crisis or forced migration, and educating hundreds of participants on International Humanitarian Law.

OVERCOMING THE FIRST-EVER RED CROSS BLOOD CRISIS In January 2022, the Red Cross experienced its worst national blood shortage in over a decade, due to ongoing collection challenges and varied hospital demand during the pandemic. Patients in need of lifesaving blood transfusions relied on an outpouring of support from hundreds of thousands of generous blood donors to overcome the crisis.

Beyond national headlines, the need for blood is constant, as one in seven patients entering a hospital will need a blood transfusion. Every day, Red Cross blood donors are the lifeline for car accident victims, parents with complicated childbirths, individuals battling cancer and people with sickle cell disease. Make an appointment to give blood this holiday season by visiting RedCrossBlood.org

PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR PERSONAL EMERGENCIES In the Central Coast Chapter, Red Cross workers have helped people through other personal emergencies too, whether it was connecting a loved one with a deployed service member during a family crisis or training people to provide CPR for those suffering from cardiac arrest. In 2022, the Bay Area Chapter provided 809 case services for military members, veterans and their families, and educated 5,176 people in First Aid/CPR/AED courses.

Visit the local Year in Review page for more information about how the Red Cross helped people of the Central Coast Chapter in 2022.

About American Red Cross of the Central Coast

With offices in Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties, 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, visit our website at redcross.org/centralcoast or call us at (831) 624-6921. You may also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

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