Marielos “Mary” Cueva of the Bronx was living with her family in Honduras when she first encountered the Red Cross during the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The hurricane destroyed much of Central America and caused over 11,000 fatalities among widespread devastation throughout the region. Volunteers sent relief items and partnered with other organizations to run shelters.
“They helped my family and others when we needed it the most. We were so grateful,” Mary said.
Two decades later, Mary decided to join the American Red Cross as a volunteer.
To someone passing by, it seemed like just a normal Friday in January at a residential building in a quiet neighborhood in Brooklyn. However, inside apartment 6A, there was a resident whose life had been turned upside down by a fire that morning which had destroyed a large portion of her belongings.
The American Red Cross partnered with the West Point: The U.S. Military Academy to host a series of blood drives where 927 units of blood were donated by hundreds of individuals, over four days.
Are you a young woman professional who is passionate about helping others?
Do you want to be part of positive change? Then we invite you to join the American Red Cross in Greater New York for the 2023-2024 kick-off of Clara’s Council!
Our team members will run to deliver hope as they raise funds to support the humanitarian mission of the American Red Cross to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies. Meet this year's team, and learn what motivated them to join our team.
Most people are familiar with the Red Cross for the aid the organization provides at large-scale natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes. But many don’t realize that specially trained local volunteers, who are part of the Disaster Action Team (DAT), can also be seen in the streets of the Greater New York area assisting people whose homes have been damaged or completely destroyed by fires, floods and other emergencies.
Clara's Council offers an additional engagement opportunity to donors currently giving from $1,000-$9,999 annually. Donors can participate in a women's membership group of philanthropists that will serve as a pipeline of future Tiffany Circle members. These mid-career professionals are committed to supporting the mission, financial health and future of the American Red Cross.
Marty — a home fire campaign leader with American Red Cross-Greater New York — joined hundreds of other volunteers on a warm May afternoon in New Rochelle, installing smoke alarms in dozens of homes, all with the hopes of saving lives if tragedy were to ever strike.
But why three years? You may only need one guess.
Michael McCauley and his girlfriend were watching a movie in their home in Greenwich, Conn., on Sunday evening, March 6, 2022, when they heard what sounded like an explosion in front of the house."When I looked out the front window I saw a Jeep Wrangler— at this point now upside down, on the roof – sliding down Putnam Ave," McCauley said.
Gayle Colacicco’s decades of service are certain proof of the adage: “You make a living with what you get. You make a life with what you give.” Her dedication to the military has lasted through the decades and taken her across the U.S. and to numerous countries as both a Red Cross and Army volunteer, as well as an Army civilian employee.
Ed Mechmann, a fulltime attorney from Yonkers, N.Y., joined the Red Cross after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He began volunteering with his wife at a Respite Center near Ground Zero. A few years later, Mechmann joined the Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) supporting residents affected by local disasters across Westchester County. Mechmann’s flexible work schedule allows him to devote two days a week to the Red Cross, for which we thank him!
