Cross Blog

View pictures of Red Cross response in Haiti

Thursday, January 28, 2010

How you can help:

• Visit redcross.org
  
• Call 1-800-REDCROSS
  
• Mail a check to American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C., 20013

A day with Red Cross Transportation Services

Red Cross Transportation Services provide residents living in Mecklenburg and South Iredell counties free transportation to and from critical medical appointments.  There were 17,145 rides provided by more than 70 volunteers last year.

Coy Powell, a Red Cross volunteer driver for more than four years, said one of the most important qualities in a driver is being flexible.  Powell said some people may complain and want no assistance, while others are excited to see him.  He said it is their choice to receive assistance.  “We assist where we can; we do not force ourselves.”

Powell said his favorite element about this service is meeting different people.  He said he enjoys to hear their life experiences, where they have been and what they have done.  While volunteering at the Red Cross, Powell met a client that had coached baseball at his former high school when he had attended.

While on his route Thursday, Jan. 28, Powell picked up Lula Stewart, who moved to Charlotte in 1992.  Stewart has been using this service once a month for more than two years.  She said she enjoys the atmosphere, company and a pleasant drive with conversation.  Stewart’s most memorable moment was her second ride with the Red Cross.  No volunteer drivers were available to pick her up from her doctor visit, so Betty Burton, the scheduling coordinator, picked her up.  Stewart said she was amazed at how courteous Burton was.

The second client for Powell was Christine Leach, who has been in Charlotte since 1963.  Leach has been using this service twice a week for four or five years.  She said the drivers are very nice to her, and they always help her in and out of the car.  Leach said, “I could not ask for a better ride.”

The third client for Powell was Horace Matthews, who has been in Charlotte since 1962.  Matthews has been using this service twice a week for five years.  He said he likes the drivers, who are on time no matter what.  Matthews said laughing, “They need to be paid!”

Need transportation services or want to be a volunteer driver?

Belk raises money for Haiti relief

About 20 Belk employees helped coordinate employee fundraising drives and contributions for Red Cross relief in Haiti.

This is the first of several checks to come from Belk, Inc. and its store employees. All 314 stores across the Southeast and the headquarters have been coordinating Haiti disaster relief fundraising efforts.

Employees coordinated various fundraising drives and pitches and combined that with personal donations.  Belk has been a generous supporter of Red Cross disaster relief for several years. 

Pictured, John Luebke of the Greater Carolinas Chapter accepts a check for more than $11,000 from Belk employees.

Caption: Bottom:  Steve Kelly, vice president of marketing for Belk; Shanetta Spears, Jennifer Dyer, Amanda Hawley, John - Red Cross, Audrey Rabb, Lauren Fields, Bob Alexander
Top:  Paris Gormley, Shirley Rice, Denise Podavini, Bruce Fisher, Annette Brinson, Yolanda Johnson, Swantavia Graham.

Latino community raises money for Haiti relief

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

On Monday, Jan. 25, a ceremony took place at the American Red Cross, Sadie Fowler Disaster Center, to present a check for more than $40,000 to the American Red Cross. 

The money was raised this past Sunday by the Latino community.  They worked with Jesus Ministry Inc., Norsan Radio Group and Alex Ruiz Productions to collect funds during a radio-thon at the Compare Foods Supermarkets in Charlotte, Monroe and Gastonia. 

All of the money, raised in one day, will go toward helping the people in Haiti.

Pamela Jefsen, CEO of the Greater Carolinas Chapter, said, “We are in awe of how the Latino community came together this weekend to raise money for American Red Cross response efforts in Haiti.”

If you want to help:

• Donate Money
  
• Volunteer your time
  
• Give blood

For more pictures click here!

Red Cross dedicates Volunteer Personnel Office to volunteer

The Greater Carolinas Chapter proudly dedicated their Volunteer Personnel Office on Sunday, Jan. 17, to the memory of Sarah Lynn Kennelly, a Red Cross volunteer who passed away Sept. 21, 2009 from metastatic breast cancer at age 50.

Born and raised in Winston-Salem, Kennelly graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981 and became an executive in patient communication systems for companies Executone, Dukane, GE and Hill-Rom.

Daughter of Jim and Eleanor Kennelly, “Lynn” was committed to many civic and volunteer organizations and displayed a positive and generous spirit throughout her life. In grateful acknowledgement of her life and good works, it is fitting that Kennelly’s name be associated with the American Red Cross.

Want to volunteer?

More photos

Haiti Relief: Report from USNS Comfort Volunteer

The below was written by American Red Cross volunteer Wilfrid from the Miami Chapter. He’s aboard the USNS Comfort providing assistance to Haiti.

Was crazy the trip from Miami to Guantanamo, then to airport p-au-p, then helicopter to the Navy ship. Full military operation. I have seen the hard work. So far about 48hrs without sleeping. We’ll talk another day…

Arrival to Guantanamo 3:35pm

Ready to fly from Guantanamo to Haiti Airport 2:15am.

Arrival in airport Haiti; 3:10 AM. Eat and drink then, lay down on the grass until morning. 7:50AM. we felt an aftershock (1sec). A lot of plans and moving…

Some of the team stayed at Guantanamo the whole night (w/ Dee). Took the helicopter to the USNS comfort by 3:15 pm and arrive at 3:30pm – while the team in Guantanamo went straight to the USNS by 12:00 PM.

The team is in the dining area with all the other Corps. An immense mass care operation. The ship can provide about 7000 hot meals. We had a meal and went to rest for tomorrow.

Sleeping area! We all got a chance to shower. Then, Saturday is in. 5:30 AM get ready for breakfast at 6:00 AM. I became a call center with my phone for many of the team. The rush started not too late after our lunch.

In the meeting after breakfast!

Celebrities support Red Cross relief in Haiti

Monday, January 25, 2010

“Miracle on the Hudson” crew thanks the Red Cross

Thursday, January 21, 2010

At a celebratory breakfast on Friday, Jan. 15, on the anniversary of US Airways Flight 1549’s dramatic emergency landing on the icy Hudson River on January 15, 2009, passengers and crew members expressed their thanks to the American Red Cross for the help and emotional support they received after the landing. The breakfast, hosted by Mutual of America at its Park Avenue headquarters in Manhattan, was attended by 50 of the 155 passengers, the plane’s crew of 5, led by Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger III, and 75 guests, including New York State Governor David Paterson and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Dozens of representatives from local and national TV, radio and newspapers were also on hand to cover the event.

The morning’s many speakers praised the Red Cross for its support on January 15, 2009, and its work with people in need throughout the year. Flight 1549 passenger, Theresa Leahy, lauded the volunteers and staff from the American Red Cross in Greater New York and the Red Cross of Northern New Jersey. She said, “This is our big hug to thank you.” Captain Sullenberger recalled the day of the landing, “It felt as if all of New York and New Jersey was out to embrace us—and when they did embrace us, it was with blankets from the Red Cross.”

U.S. Airways Flight 1549 was en route to Charlotte, North Caroline, from New York’s La Guardia Airport on January 15, 2009, when it struck a flock of geese which disabled the aircraft and forced it to land on the river. Everyone on board safely evacuated the plane. Minutes later, volunteers and employees from the American Red Cross in Greater New York were on the scene at the NY Piers, where many passengers were ferried by rescue boats; relief workers from the northern New Jersey Red Cross assisted passengers who were ferried to the New Jersey side of the river. Red Cross provided hot beverages, socks, sweat suits, warm blankets, mental-health counseling and more to passengers and crew members.

Jeffrey Skiles, Flight 1549’s co-pilot, praised the organization’s volunteers and employees as heroes for their help that day, and presented the Red Cross with a personal check for $5,000. NYC Bank of America President, Jeff Barker, and Senior Vice President of Media at Bank of America, Pam Seagle, who was a passenger on Flight 1549, also presented the Red Cross with a check, for $21,549—one thousand dollars for each of the 20 Bank of America associates who were on Flight 1549, plus an extra, symbolic, $1,549.

Governor Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg, US Airways CEO & Chairman of Doug Parker, NY Red Cross Chairman of the Board Ira Millstein, NY Red Cross Chairman Emeritus William Gray, and NY Red Cross CEO Theresa Bischoff also spoke at the event. Ms. Bischoff thanked Flight 1549’s passengers and crew “for the opportunity to thank our Greater New York responders and staff.”

One of the last to address the attendees, passenger Clay Presley, (“Seat 15D”), draped a Red Cross blanket across his shoulders and said, “We were wet, cold and emotionally exhausted. The Red Cross provided real emotional support when we needed it.” He went on to ask for donations to the organization for its local and international relief efforts, in particular, its humanitarian response to the earthquake in Haiti earlier his week

More photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30084374@N02/sets/72157623217864900/show/

Slideshow of Haiti relief efforts

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Response in Haiti - Video

Tuesday, January 19, 2010