By: Sree Nidhi Linga

When Shreya Jupelly joined the American Red Cross in 2020 as a high school student, she began growing into a leader through service. She did not realize her impact would expand to reach countless individuals across the North Texas Region.

Jupelly now serves as vice president of the North Texas Youth Services Executive Board and as a club liaison for the Strive to Save Lives (SSL) program, which brings free CPR and First Aid training to communities across North Texas. Her journey with Training Services began as an SSL instructor, a role inspired by a deeply personal moment.

She witnessed her grandfather suffer a heart attack, and a stranger was the first to step in and get help.

That experience shaped her commitment to ensuring more people know what to do in an emergency. Teaching others how to respond with confidence far outweighed any hesitation about leading large classes of unfamiliar faces.

One of Jupelly’s proudest moments came while teaching an SSL class at a high school in Tyler, Texas.

“Up until then, I had only been teaching classes in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex,” she said. “Hearing students say they had been waiting for an opportunity like this for so long was incredibly fulfilling.”

Beyond the classroom, Jupelly continues to expand the reach of SSL classes and has collaborated with Red Cross International Services to develop programming that increases socialization in clinical settings.

For Jupelly, volunteering is about creating ripple effects — training one person who may one day save another.

“To all the youth and young adult volunteers just getting started with the Red Cross, just try everything and anything that seems interesting to you,” Jupelly said. “Once you find something that you really feel encapsulates what sort of impact you want to make on your community, stick with it…the initiative to be a leader and continually make time for it will develop naturally.”

This March, you can join volunteers like Shreya in making a difference. Become a volunteer, give blood or make a financial donation when help can’t wait. Visit redcross.org to find your way to help today. 

About American Red Cross Month 

The American Red Cross recognizes March as Red Cross Month, a national tradition that began in 1943 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first proclamation — and each U.S. president has followed ever since. 

During this month, the Red Cross celebrates the people and community partners who step up when needed to help their neighbors. Join more than 30,000 supporters for our 12th annual Red Cross Giving Day to help provide shelter, food, relief supplies and emotional support to disaster survivors.