The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois is honoring a local woman, Rochelle Crump of Hazel Crest, as the organization’s 2020 Military Hero.
Rochelle, an Army Veteran who served in the Women’s Army Corps during Vietnam (ERA), has dedicated her life to helping women service members and veterans. Having witnessed the difficulty facing female veterans upon returning home, in 2005, Rochelle founded the National Women Veterans United (NWVU). In 2015, the organization opened the only Military Women Veterans Center in Illinois. The NWVU provides support services such as navigation of the VA benefits system and wellness support programs to address health needs. The organization’s volunteers also assist with housing, homelessness and help veterans wanting to open their own business. The goal of the NWVU is to make sure female veterans get the assistance they deserve and ensure female service members are remembered in history.
“It’s an honor for the Chicago & Northern Illinois Red Cross to recognize the work and dedication of Rochelle Crump and National Women Veterans United to make sure that our women veterans have the resources and assistance they need. Rochelle’s advocacy has helped make significant changes on behalf of women veterans in Illinois and across the U.S.” Said Celena Roldán, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois.
For the past 18 years, the Chicago & Northern Illinois Red Cross has honored each class of heroes at its Heroes Breakfast, typically attended by nearly 1,000 individuals. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Chicago & Northern Illinois Red Cross is unable to host this event in person but will honor this class of heroes via traditional and social media coverage beginning Tuesday, April 14.
Follow us @chicagoredcross on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to watch these heroes tell their stories of determination, resilience and kindness. You can also join the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois on LinkedIn as we tell the beautiful stories of these Everyday Extraordinary individuals. We invite you to help us share these amazing stories with your friends and family across social media.
Additional honorees were selected in 11 community service categories. Heroes were chosen by an independent committee of leaders in the business and civic community. For the complete list of 2020 Heroes, visit redcross.org/heroes.
Thank you to all our generous sponsors, including: Better, Edwardson Family Foundation, Kirkland & Ellis, CSX, KPMG, Walgreens and to our media sponsor CBS 2.
About the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois:
The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois serves 9.5 million people in 21 counties, including Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Jo Daviess, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will and Winnebago. 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/il/chicago or visit us on Twitter @ChicagoRedCross.