NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1, 2022 — From home fires to climate disasters, to the first-ever national American Red Cross blood crisis, 2022 has been a year of crisis in greater New York and across the country.
“Whether a crisis is felt by an entire community or a single person, it turns lives upside down — especially for the most vulnerable,” Mary Barneby, Regional CEO, American Red Cross in Greater NY said. “During this season of giving back, join us to provide help and hope for people in need during future emergencies by making a financial donation or by giving blood.”
During the holidays, visit redcross.org/GNYEndofYear to make a financial donation or an appointment to give blood for patients in the U.S. Individuals can also register for volunteer opportunities in their area.
RESPONDING TO DISASTERS OF ALL SIZES
This year’s extreme disasters in the U.S. are clear examples of the increasing frequency and intensity of the climate crisis. So far in 2022, 15 billion-dollar disasters have upended lives across the country — more than twice the number of billion-dollar disasters that struck annually two decades ago.
Following historic events like Hurricane Ian in Florida and flash flooding that devastated parts of Kentucky this summer – and the tens of thousands of other disasters across the country – Red Cross volunteers have worked 24/7 to provide shelter, food and care.
In NYC, Long Island, Westchester County, Rockland County and Greenwich, Conn., the Red Cross has offered relief and comfort after more than 2250 disasters (home fires and other local emergencies) so far this year, to help ensure no one faces a crisis of any size alone.
Thousands of local residents like Lou Cousens, a veteran who lost his New Rochelle home of 30-plus years to a fire in February, turned to the Greater NY Red Cross after tragedy.
“They were amazing. You don’t realize how necessary they are till you go through something like that,“ he said of the support provided at a Reception Center set up for displaced residents and of the assistance he and his neighbors received in the days and weeks that followed.
PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR PERSONAL EMERGENCIES
In the communities they serve, Greater NY Red Cross workers have helped people through personal emergencies too, whether it was connecting a loved one with a deployed service member during a family crisis or training people to provide CPR for those suffering from cardiac arrest.
OVERCOMING THE FIRST-EVER RED CROSS BLOOD CRISIS
In January 2022, the Red Cross experienced its worst national blood shortage in over a decade, due to ongoing collection challenges and varied hospital demand during the pandemic. Patients in need of lifesaving blood transfusions relied on an outpouring of support from hundreds of thousands of generous blood donors to overcome the crisis.
Beyond national headlines, the need for blood is constant, as one in seven patients entering a hospital will need a blood transfusion. Every day, Red Cross blood donors are the lifeline for car accident victims, parents with complicated childbirths, individuals battling cancer and people with sickle cell disease. Make an appointment to give blood this holiday season by visiting RedCrossBlood.org.
Visit redcross.org/GNYEndofYear for more information about how the American Red Cross in Greater NY helped people in New York City, Long Island, Westchester County, Rockland County and Greenwich Conn. in 2022.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.