Since Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in 1881, women have played an important role in advancing the organization's programs and services. Below is a look at how Maura Delehanty, from the Florida Gulf Coast to Heartland Chapter, invests her time and talent to advance the Red Cross mission.

Maura, a seasoned Health Care Executive, former Trauma Nurse, and Life & Leadership Coach, has been volunteering with the Red Cross since 2021 and currently serves as the Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter.

A few years ago, Maura attended a course called the Greater Naples Leadership, which seeks to educate successful leaders on what's happening in their community and promote volunteerism and philanthropy. Looking for opportunities to volunteer her time, Maura connected with Jill Palmer, the executive director for the local Red Cross chapter in her area and felt like it was the right fit. "I've loved being on the Board. I jumped right in and became a DHS [Disaster Health Services] volunteer," said Maura.

Shortly after joining the Red Cross in 2021, Hurricane Ida, one of the most powerful hurricanes to strike the United States, made landfall in Louisiana. With extensive experience as a nurse and her Red Cross training completed, Maura deployed for the first time to Baton Rouge.

"I had just finished the training necessary to [deploy], and then Ida hit. I started getting texts asking, can you help, can you deploy? And I said, wow, you know what? I think I actually have the time right now.
It was summer, so calendars are a little bit less full, and I remember thinking, God actually wants me to do this, and that's why my calendar is open right now, so I did put my hand up [to deploy]."

On the ground in Baton Rouge, Maura met up with a team of volunteer nurses, with whom she still keeps in touch today. "We still are connected today. We Zoom every month. We just had such a human experience together [on this] deployment."

After disasters, volunteer nurse teams deploy to assist with immediate, basic needs such as replenishing medications and replacing eyeglasses and other medical equipment that may have been lost or damaged. Maura served a two-week deployment and traveled to different communities in Baton Rouge that were impacted to assess and address patients' needs.

Maura told us that her experience deploying to her first disaster relief operation was a "very touching and emotional period. I had no idea what I was in for, but it was an amazing experience. I look forward to doing it again."

When Hurricane Ian made landfall in her very own backyard in 2022, Maura again volunteered her time. Fortunately, she was not in town when the storm passed through Naples, but once she was back home, she was ready to help.

Maura recalls volunteering at a Disaster Aid Station on Sanibel Island. "We gave out food, snacks and water. There was a church nearby that also had a table set up with things that their congregation had donated, and I remember this one family that came by. Mom was pregnant, there was a baby in the stroller, maybe a walking two-toddler and dad, as well. They were looking for diapers. We're talking just the basics of life. When I took a break earlier, I saw diapers over on the church table, so I was able to direct them to next provider to help them.

We were also handing out shovels, buckets and work gloves so that people could have the tools to clean up their yards and homes and everybody was just so thankful and grateful."

Later in the day, when the Red Cross emergency response vehicles arrived with lunch, Maura and the other volunteers started distributing meals to the individuals and families waiting in line to talk with FEMA. Maura remembers one person in line saying, "Oh my God, I'm a diabetic. I haven't eaten since 9:00 in the morning. So again, just the gratitude and the gratefulness for the Red Cross in handing out such a basic necessity. The response was amazing, and you just feel like you're making a difference for that day, maybe for one person or one family. So, it's an unbelievable organization, the Red Cross."

Maura, a self-proclaimed person of action, recently volunteered at a smoke alarm installation event in Dunbar Heights. Home fires account for the majority of the 65,000 disasters that the Red Cross responds to, so, in 2014, the organization launched the Home Fire Campaign with the goal of installing two million smoke alarms in homes.

"When we did go into the homes and install the smoke alarms, the people were so happy, and they recognized that, wow, all these alarms they had in their home were not working. Sometimes, the batteries were dead, or the actual alarm wasn't loud enough for anybody to hear it, so it would not have woken them in the middle of the night. So, it's instant gratification because you feel like you actually made a difference for some families and their homes."

In her nursing career, Maura provided lifesaving services to people in need and made a difference in countless lives – a central tenet in the Red Cross mission. "People would say, 'Oh, thank you so much for what you did,' but actually, I found that I got filled up because I was able to give something back to people who may have been having the worst day of their lives, especially in emergency and trauma situations. So, I really understand that feeling of making a difference."

As a life and leadership coach, Maura's joy for life and improving oneself is contagious. "I just love to bring my attitude and my positivity so I can support, empower, and encourage other women to stand in their power and share their gifts."

For anyone interested in volunteering, Maura says to just give her a call, “There is plenty of opportunity and we have lots of needs here… I would just suggest doing what makes you feel good about giving back because the payback is more than you can really imagine."

The American Red Cross relies on thousands of nurses and other health professionals like Maura to bring our mission to life each day. Red Cross health professional volunteers bring relief to disaster survivors, work in military hospitals, and collect lifesaving blood. If you're interested in volunteering with the Red Cross, visit redcross.org/SFLvolunteer today.

Thank you, Maura, for your service and dedication to the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross.

Written by Stephanie Wesseling, American Red Cross Public Affairs