On May 13, around 50 Red Crossers from across Pennsylvania brought an urgent message to the State Capitol in Harrisburg: “Help Can’t Wait.”  

Jorge Martinez, CEO for the Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region, kicked off a press conference on the steps of the Capitol Rotunda.

“Every day across Pennsylvania, families lose homes to devastating fires. Communities face the aftermath of floods and storms. Veterans struggle to access services they desperately need. And patients in our hospitals require lifesaving blood transfusions,” he said. “In these moments of crisis, help can’t wait.”

Martinez shared that, nationally, the Red Cross responds to a new major disaster about every two weeks. These massive events, like storms and wildfires, are on top of home fires that occur multiple times every day. In fact, the Red Cross responded to more than 2,000 local disasters in Pennsylvania last year.

Jennifer Graham, CEO for the Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region, spoke about more of the work Red Crossers do in the Commonwealth every single day.

“Last year alone, we collected 220,000 units of blood products right here in the Commonwealth,” she said. “Those units became lifelines—supporting surgeries, aiding those battling cancer, providing relief for people living with sickle cell disease and helping save victims of sudden trauma.”

Graham shared a story about how blood was available for Chester County volunteer firefighter Emily Gindel when an automobile accident left her fighting for her life.

Emily and her boyfriend Colin were on their way to a fire call when their car hydroplaned off the road, crashing into a tree. Colin tragically died on impact. Emily sustained a broken back, a fractured skull, a traumatic brain injury—and so much blood lost before she could even reach the hospital. But blood was there when Emily needed it, paving the way for multiple surgeries and months of physical and cognitive therapy.

“Every two seconds, someone in the U.S.—someone like Emily—needs blood. That reality makes our work in the biomedical field not just necessary, but urgent,” Graham shared.

She also talked about the work of the Red Cross in teaching lifesaving skills like CPR, AED and first aid.

“Last year, we trained more than 165,000 people in Pennsylvania, including police, fire and EMTs with 129 first-responder agencies—more than in any other state.”

Graham next introduced Rep. Jared Solomon, whose constituents were impacted by the tragic plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia, to which the Red Cross responded, earlier this year.

“Out of that carnage, out of that chaos, out of that confusion came the Red Cross, came the courage of presence. It’s hard to show up, and the Red Cross, through their courage of presence, showed up, time and time again,” he said.

Watch Rep. Solomon’s full remarks

Martinez next spoke about the Red Cross support available to the military community, noting that nearly 800,000 veterans call Pennsylvania home – the fourth largest veteran population in the country. He introduced Doug Mastriano, a retired Army Colonel and 30-year combat veteran, who commemorated Military Appreciation Month.

After the press conference, Senator Mastriano led Red Cross volunteers and staff on a tour of the Senate floor. Later in the day, Red Crossers were recognized for their work on the floor during working sessions of both the Senate and House.

Laura Burke, executive director of the Red Cross Central Pennsylvania Chapter, coordinated the trip to Harrisburg, which she hopes will continue as an annual event and grow in size.

The day’s call to action is simple: the Red Cross relies on generous support from the American public so that the organization can be there when “Help Can’t Wait.”

“Whether it’s through financial contributions, volunteering your time, donating blood, or simply spreading awareness about our mission, your involvement matters,” Martinez said. “In those critical moments when seconds count, the Red Cross must be ready to respond for Pennsylvanians in need.”

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- Written by Alana Mauger