Media Contact: Matthew Wells
808-681-2833 | Matthew.Wells@redcross.org

HONOLULU, HI: JANUARY 19, 2026 – The American Red Cross has taken the first steps towards bringing its service programs to the COFA nations with a two-week tour of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). Workshops were held to promote effective communication and stress management. This marks a historic step forward with it being the first form of American Red Cross service delivery for U.S. veterans living in the COFA nations.

Leading these outreach efforts were Julie Greenly, Regional Service to the Armed Forces – International Services Director for the Pacific Islands Region based in Honolulu, and Nneoma Lewis, a licensed mental health professional and American Red Cross volunteer based in Guam. Ms. Lewis facilitated a total of eight behavioral health workshops which included veterans, active service members, their families and community leaders. Participants provided the American Red Cross with positive feedback and a greater sense of how service presentations can be best tailored to the local community.

“I extend the administration’s heartfelt gratitude to American Red Cross through your team for its genuine investment in our veterans,” says Hainrick Panuelo, Director of the FSM Office of Veterans Affairs. “We certainly value the relationship we’ve forged and look forward to working with your team going forward on ways to improve the services to and the livelihoods of our veterans in the FSM.”

These are the first steps in American Red Cross outreach and partnerships with the COFA nations to care for and support U.S. Veterans.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; 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/hawaii or follow us on social media.