Our heartfelt sympathies are with the people of Hawaii whose way of life, rich with traditions and customs, has been forever altered by the deadliest wildfires in the last 100 years.
More than 270 trained Red Cross disaster workers — from Maui, other Hawaiian islands and all corners of the country — are helping now with more on their way. Disaster workers are also virtually helping people affected by the fires.
Mary McGavin, MSW, LCSW, of the Illinois River Valley Chapter of the Red Cross deployed to Maui on Monday, August 14, 2023. Mary has been a Disaster Mental Health volunteer with the Red Cross since 2018 and joins other Red Cross volunteers in supporting those impacted by the wildfires.
Mary is the Chief Operating Officer for Guardian Angel Community Services, and we are deeply grateful that she is afforded the opportunity to answer the call for help in Maui.
Disaster Mental Health volunteers like Mary foster a positive culture in disaster shelters, are patient listeners for someone who needs to talk about what they’ve gone through and may even spot early signs of traumatic stress that can be referred for specialist care. Disaster Mental Health volunteers help create conditions where people, families and communities can rebuild after devasting events. If you are interested in volunteering, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday.
This is a difficult time for everyone affected and it’s important for people to connect with and support each other. If you or a loved one needs help, reach out through the Disaster Distress Helpline for free 24/7 support by calling 1-800-985-5990 or texting TALKWITHUS to 66746.
You can help people affected by disasters like wildfires and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767), or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
About the American Red Cross of Illinois
The American Red Cross of Illinois serves 12.4 million people in 88 counties in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri including Adams, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cook, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, De Witt, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Green, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Putnam, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermillion, Warren, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson Winnebago, Woodford. Iowa: Lee, Muscatine, Scott and Van Buren. Missouri: Clark, Lewis, Marion and Ralls. 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. For more information, please visit us at Redcross.org/Illinois or visit us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @RedCrossIL.