By: Suzanne Lawler, Regional Communications Manager

On some of the worst days of their lives, families who have lost everything in a home fire or other disaster are invited into a place called “Peachy.”

It's not a shelter or a counseling center. It's an American Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle driven by volunteer Bill Ladigo, who believes a smile can be just as important as immediate assistance when disaster strikes.

“I’m part of the flagship,” he said. “I represent the American Red Cross. When this vehicle rolls up, it’s a billboard on both sides of it: the American Red Cross is here.”

The "flagship" he is referring to is what the Red Cross calls an Emergency Response Vehicle, or ERV.

The ERV itself has a special connection to its nickname. In 2024, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl donated the vehicle as part of its long-standing support of Red Cross disaster relief efforts. Decals on the truck read: "Generously donated by Peach Bowl."

One day, while looking at the vehicle, Ladigo decided to give it a nickname, a tribute to its donor and a way to bring the truck to life.

“The name just hit,” he said. “My grandkids started asking about Peachy.”

And Peachy it became.

“Peachy has become such a special way for us to honor our partnership with the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl,” said Dee Dixon, Division Fundraising Vice President for the Red Cross. “Whether we’re responding to a disaster, supporting a preparedness event or participating in a community parade, this vehicle carries the Peach Bowl’s generosity right into the communities we serve.”

As a Disaster Action Team volunteer, Ladigo uses the ERV to respond to emergencies and provide hope and comfort to people facing devastating circumstances. The Red Cross responds to about 65,000 disasters each year, most of them home fires.

For families who have just lost their homes and belongings, the trauma can be overwhelming. Through his genuine spirit and warm personality, Ladigo has found a way to bring a moment of comfort to an otherwise heartbreaking situation.

“I’ll talk to clients and I’ll find out exactly what’s going on. I’ll get that preliminary information and then I’ll invite them into Peachy,” he said. “I’ll say, ‘Let’s go into Peachy and get you taken care of and some assistance.’”

Of course, people often ask about the vehicle's nickname, and Ladigo tells them about the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl donation. In that moment, however, the conversation becomes about more than a truck.

“It really breaks them away from the disaster that just happened and it gives them a distraction and because of that, it makes them a little more happy.”

Ladigo, who spent his career working on airplane black boxes, understands the gravity of disaster situations. His goal is to wrap Red Cross arms around a family while giving them a reason to smile.

“When they get in the vehicle and take a deep breath for the first time and realize we’re here to support them, it gives them hope," Ladigo reflected. “They know what they're going to do tomorrow. We get to help them answer some questions.”

Some of those questions will warm your heart.

Ladigo remembers helping a family after a home fire. They had a young son, and he invited them into Peachy to address their immediate needs.

“For the little boy, it was intense. He was exploring every inch of the vehicle,” Ladigo said. “Then he came up to me and said, ‘I want to work for the Red Cross one day, or volunteer.’ I asked him why, and he said, ‘I want to drive Peachy.’ It brought a tear to my eye.”

Ladigo and Peachy have traveled to bring hope and comfort to people affected by disasters, including wildfires in Georgia and, most recently, Hurricane Isaias. After Hurricane Isaias hit, Ladigo drove to northwest Florida, delivering meals and comfort to those in need. From the coastal communities of Choctaw Beach, Bagdad and Navarre, Florida, Ladigo spent his deployment delivering more than 3,000 meals in less than a week. Together, Ladigo and Peachy traveled more than 2,000 miles during the mission, carrying something far greater than food. They brought hope, encouragement and the reassuring presence of the Red Cross to neighbors in need.

"People are often left without basic services after a disaster, and it's amazing how quickly those basic needs become the top priority,” he said. “I am so blessed to be able to give back by representing the Red Cross and helping others in their time of need. Just as important, I want people to know that we're here to help them because you never know when the next disaster will strike. It could be my town, and it could be my family who needs the exact assistance we're providing today."

According to Red Cross vehicle data, Peachy is one of the most-used Emergency Response Vehicles in the country.

With that track record, Ladigo is proud to care for Peachy as if it were part of his family. He keeps more than a dozen photos of the vehicle on his phone and makes sure it gets regular baths.

“I tell her it’s not Saturday night, but you’re getting a bath anyway,” he chuckled.

Trips to the gas station are common because Peachy gets about 14 miles per gallon.

“She gets thirsty; she loves diesel fuel. We’ll fill her up so she’s not thirsty,” he said. “I joke about that, but it just gives the unit a personality. Even my family now calls it Peachy. My wife, everyone calls it Peachy.”