American Red Cross

Take it from these young American Red Cross of Northern New England experts: Don't play with the heat, and stay safe by following these important tips. Extreme heat claims the lives of people in this country every year. With more people being exposed to hotter temperatures due to the climate crisis, this is your reminder to stay hydrated, check in on loved ones, and find a public place to cool down if it's too hot at home. #ExtremeHeat #BeatTheHeat

Christian Geye knows the challenges of military life well, having grown up a self-proclaimed Army brat and with her husband and son both serving in the Army. While her husband was stationed at a military base, she participated in a Red Cross resiliency workshop designed to teach military families the necessary skills to cope with transitions and stress. This experience inspired her to become a volunteer and utilize her psychotherapist license to facilitate similar workshops for other military members. She even recruited her dog, Juneau, as a therapy dog to support clients at her private practice! Christian has helped underserved veteran populations — including those in prison systems — using her military background to provide them with mental health resources. She's also traveled to places like Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti to offer resiliency workshops to active duty soldiers. People like Christian make it possible for us to offer continuous support to our military members and their families throughout their service. ❤️ #MilitarySupport #RedCross #ThanksVolunteers

These are just some of the 400 trained Red Crossers who answered the call to support Hurricane Beryl relief efforts across Texas. As communities attempt to begin recovery amid power loss and dangerous high temperatures, our volunteers are welcoming people in shelters, providing a shoulder to lean on for comfort, assisting with replacing medication and medical equipment, and distributing relief supplies and ready-to-eat meals.

If you've ever taken a babysitting class, this is for you! Help us inspire the next generation of babysitters. Tell us how getting certified helped with your professional development. ⬇️

More than 1.5 million people remain without power in Texas as Hurricane #Beryl came ashore early this morning with 80 mph winds and life-threatening storm surge. Nearly 400 trained Red Cross disaster responders are supporting relief efforts across Texas and stand ready to expand our efforts as the storm makes its way across parts of southeastern Oklahoma, Arkansas and southern Missouri tonight into Tuesday. People in the path of Beryl are encouraged to remain safe and listen to the advice of emergency officials. If you’re in need of shelter or assistance, please call 1-800-RED CROSS to locate one of our shelter locations. Everyone is welcome at our shelters and will find a safe place to sleep along with warm meals, emotional support, and health services.

Herman Cranman was just 20 years old when he served in the United States Air Force during WWII and was captured after his plane went down in a forest. Herman remained a prisoner of war (POW) through his 21st birthday and found hope through care packages sent by the Red Cross. Herman’s son, Roy, described the Red Cross parcels of food, chocolates, hygiene products, and other items as one of the only joys of his existence during this time. On his birthday, other members of the POW camp made a cake for him out of dental powder so he could blow out a candle. After Herman was liberated from the camp in 1945, he returned home and married his sweetheart, Helen. Sadly, Herman passed away in 2017 and Helen in 2022, but their family shares his story with the American Red Cross of Georgia to remind others of how small acts of kindness can leave a lasting impact.

Nona Ose’s garden means everything to her. She planted it more than 20 years ago in memory of her husband and son, and still maintains it at 88 years old. “It makes me happy and other people, too,” Nona said. Now, she stares at a flooded garden, waiting for the waters to recede so she can get back to tending her plants. Nona was one of the many residents in northern Minnesota affected by severe flooding in June. She has lived in the same house for more than 60 years. Despite witnessing multiple severe weather events in her lifetime, like a flood in 1965 and a tornado in 2018, these recent floods scared her. “It’s never flooded this bad,” she said. “The water kept creeping up until there was water surrounding my house.” She remains hopeful and extremely grateful to be surrounded by a strong community that helps each other. Her neighbors have assisted her by getting her groceries, sandbagging her home, and even picking up a Red Cross clean-up kit. Volunteers from the American Red Cross Minnesota & Dakotas Region have been supporting people affected across the state since the excessive rain and flooding began. They recently visited Nona’s community — Waterville, a town of around 1,700 people — and distributed relief supplies. She's using the clean-up kit to pick up her basement, where she winters flowers for her beloved garden. 💚

Hundreds of people are still recovering from devastating flooding in northwest Iowa and deadly wildfires in New Mexico. Our teams remain on the ground in both states doing all they can to provide comfort and support to those in need. With the help of partners and 440 disaster responders, we’ve been able to: - Provide 5,000 overnight stays in shelters. - Distribute 60,100 meals and snacks and 13,000 relief supplies. - Complete 175 reunification requests for missing loved ones. Although people have begun their recovery, severe weather continues to threaten these communities. Recent thunderstorms in New Mexico have led to flooding and landslides in the region, while northwest Iowa may have a storm system that could lead to more flash flooding. With intense disasters happening more frequently due to the climate crisis, it's essential to have an emergency plan, stay informed about the weather, and know where to go if you need to evacuate and seek shelter.

Just three weeks after Lisa Fulk received lifesaving training from the Red Cross, she applied what she learned and saved her colleague's life. “I heard her gasping for breath just outside of my office," Lisa said. Lisa is a news director at WXII 12 Triad CW. While at work one day, a coworker and friend began choking on a small candy. Lisa knew she had to act fast. “I never thought I would ever have to use the skills taught in that 3-hour course,” Lisa said. She gave her colleague multiple back blows and was able to dislodge the candy from her throat. Thanks to Lisa's training and quick action, her coworker is alive today and grateful that she knew what to do. The American Red Cross North Carolina region presented Lisa with a Certificate of Merit to honor her heroism. After witnessing what happened that day, more WXII newsroom employees are now inspired to get trained in the coming months. 👏🏽👏🏽

Make water safety a priority — it only takes a moment for an emergency to happen. Marie Manning, marketing communications director for American Red Cross Training Services, shares advice from our aquatics experts to help you and your family take the right steps for a safe summer.