On a bright and sunny fall morning in 2023, four members of our Northwest Region Tiffany Circle served lunch for local veterans. The event itself was the Heroes Cafe, a grassroots initiative that now regularly brings together veterans for lunch, access to resources and much needed socialization. Heroes Cafe events are hosted monthly in Lynnwood, Woodinville, and Shoreline, Washington.  

On this day, the cafe became a platform for Red Cross women philanthropists to focus their generosity and their service on those who have served.  The experience was detailed by Northwest Tiffany Circle Chair, Mary Donovan, in a letter to her peers. She describes a rewarding day to connect with each other in person (many of whom had only communicated virtually!), “but the highlight was the time we spent supporting over a hundred of our country's veterans from all branches of the service.”  

“We served them a fabulous turkey lunch with all the ‘fixins’, but first we mingled, sat down at their tables and heard their stories. Every veteran lit up when we said we were from the Red Cross,” Mary writes.  

“In our debrief, each of us had a different connection and story to share: a younger soldier needing support services about his struggles, and a chopper pilot in Vietnam expressing appreciation for the opportunity to connect with other former pilots. There was laughter and tears of gratitude for all we had heard.” 

Dianne Krause, a newer member to the Tiffany Circle, echoed Mary’s observations, calling the experience an “extraordinary introduction” to the group.   

“Connecting to these veterans was humbling, rewarding, inspiring and heart-tugging.  I witnessed love of our country, pride in service to our country and gratitude for the Heroes Cafe and specifically gratitude for the Red Cross' support and presence,” Dianne said. 

The experience earned these women a 2023 jewelry charm for Voluntary Service, one of the Fundamental Principles of the Global Red Cross network. It honors the power of Red Cross volunteers who together make up 90% of the Red Cross workforce.  

The principle of voluntary service represents the common motivation uniting all those working within the Movement: a desire to help others. It is both a source of inspiration and a statement of solidarity.  

Learn more about the Tiffany Circle, visit our Northwest Region page.