Liz Giordano, a Red Cross volunteer and Tiffany Circle member out of the Los Angeles Region, lives and breathes volunteerism and philanthropy. Liz’s involvement with the Red Cross began in 2010, and today, she serves as a Red Cross Community Ambassador, assists with fundraising, and is on the L.A. Region Board of Directors. Liz is most passionate about her work with the Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) initiative. MYN is designed to improve disaster readiness at the neighborhood level, teaching neighbors to rely on each other during the hours or days following a disaster and before fire, medical, police or utility responders can reach them. In the last few years, Liz’s work as a MYN presenter has resulted in hundreds of families being prepared and dozens of individuals trained as presenters to move this important work forward.
“The Map Your Neighborhood program brings the tools and resources forward for neighborhoods become able to be resilient and survive a catastrophic disaster,” Liz said. “Disaster responders are not always able to immediately respond following a devastating disaster. For those affected, help can’t come quick enough. I’ve been through many earthquakes out here and a second seems forever. That’s why this program is so critical.”
In 2015, Liz took her commitment to the Red Cross mission to a new level by joining the Tiffany Circle, a community of women leaders who advance the mission of the Red Cross through focused investments of time, talent, and treasure. When asked what inspired her to increase her support, Liz simply said, “The Red Cross covers so many bases. There are many phenomenal nonprofits out there, but no other organization has the reach of the Red Cross and is able to touch lives in so many ways. Supporting such important work just makes you feel good.”
Liz’s husband served in the United States Air Force as a pilot for nine years, which brought them to England and to Sacramento. Their experience as a military family with young children at the time instilled in her the importance of the Red Cross’ Service to the Armed Forces programs. The American Red Cross proudly offers critical assistance and resources to service members, veterans, and their families globally 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Liz’s local Tiffany Circle continues to support families within their military community. One annual effort they support is what they call a “pre-Christmas party, where they provide Christmas gifts, wrapping paper and gift cards to the families of children in the military community to alleviate the stressors and limitations they might be experiencing during the holiday season.
“It gives me such a warm feeling inside when I’m surrounded by the women of the Tiffany Circle,” Liz said. “They just want to support the Red Cross in any way they can, in all different ways, because we're all different. It's a beautiful thing, and it's such an honor to be a part of it.”
Liz’s family has also been supportive of her engagement with the Red Cross — so much that Red Cross volunteerism and supporting the mission has rubbed off on her children and grandchildren! Liz’s grandson, Anrei, visited Chengdu, China, with his mother in 2018, and during his trip was able to learn and observe the Red Cross Society of China. After his trip, and with Liz’s help, he gave a presentation to the LA Region Red Cross Board on what he learned in China. Liz is so proud to be able to see her passion for the Red Cross come through her family as well.