SAN DIEGO – July 15, 2020 – The American Red Cross needs the public’s help to find local heroes in San Diego and Imperial Counties. If you know an “ordinary” person with extraordinary courage, the Red Cross asks you to nominate them for the 18th Annual Real Heroes Awards. The nominations deadline has now been extended to July 22, 2020.
“We know that our region is home to countless unsung heroes, and we need the public’s help to find them,” says Sean Mahoney, Regional CEO of the American Red Cross Southern California Region.
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, this year’s event will be held virtually for the safety of attendees. Honorees will be celebrated across eight categories, and nominations are needed now in all categories:
Animal Welfare: An animal that has protected a human or another animal in a time of need, or a person who has rescued an animal from a traumatic situation.
Community Partner: A local organization that has administered exceptional safety and preparedness measures to protect staff and prepare for emergencies.
Fire and Rescue: A professional rescuer (firefighter, EMS personnel, etc.) whose lifesaving action went beyond the scope of his or her job to help another in critical need.
Gift of Life: An individual or group that supports the lifesaving mission of the American Red Cross through blood or platelet donations or an individual or group that inspires others to donate blood or platelets.
Good Samaritan: An adult (18+) who used lifesaving skills to save or attempt to save the lives of others or has helped to improve the welfare of their community.
Law Enforcement: A professional law enforcement officer whose lifesaving action went beyond the scope of his or her job to help another in critical need.
Military: A member of the armed forces (active, reserve, retired, commissioned or noncommissioned) whose lifesaving action during active-duty status went beyond the scope of his/her job to help another in critical need or improve the welfare of the military community.
Youth Good Samaritan: A youth (age 17 and under) who has gone to the aid of those in need and/or has helped to improve the welfare of their community.
Heroes are nominated by the public and are chosen by an awards selection committee comprised of local community leaders and event sponsors. This year’s Real Heroes award recipients will be honored at the virtual event on Friday, September 25, 2020.
How to Nominate a Hero
Submit your nomination by the new extended deadline of July 22, 2020.
Find more information, to submit a nomination online or to download the nomination form: redcross.org/sandiego/realheroes
Submit a nomination via email: Events.SanDiegoCA@redcross.org
Mail:
American Red Cross
Attn: Real Heroes
3950 Calle Fortunada
San Diego, CA 92123
The 18th Annual Real Heroes Breakfast is made possible by the support of generous sponsors, including Hometown Hero Sponsor San Diego Gas & Electric, Presenting Sponsors U.S. Bank and San Diego State University and Co-Presenting Sponsors Beta Engineering, Kaiser Permanente and USS Midway Museum.
Join the conversation online and get event updates using the hashtag #SDICRealHeroes. For more information about the American Red Cross of San Diego and Imperial Counties, please visit redcross.org/SoCal.
About the American Red Cross Southern California Region
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 public to perform its mission. The Red Cross Southern California Region proudly serves San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial Counties. In addition to carrying out disaster preparedness and response programs, blood collection, health and safety training, international services programs and supporting the military community, the Southern California Region provides nutritional counseling through its Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program in San Diego and helps communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters through its Prepare SoCal and Prepare San Diego initiatives. For more information, please visit redcross.org/SoCal or cruzrojaamericana.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube .