American Red Cross

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.

Please join us in welcoming Cliff Holtz as the new President and CEO of the American Red Cross! Cliff steps into this role following the retirement of Gail McGovern. With 13 years of experience at the Red Cross, including the last seven years as our Chief Operating Officer, Cliff is well-prepared to lead us into this new chapter. Together, we’ll continue to deliver help and hope to those in need, and we look forward to pursuing new and exciting opportunities under Cliff’s leadership.

Amid all these vibrant colors are local Red Cross teams that participated in Pride events across the country this #PrideMonth —showing their commitment to our fundamental principle of humanity and ensuring that everyone, regardless of race, gender, citizen status or sexual orientation, feels valued, respected and supported. ❤️ #Pride #DEI #DiversityEquityInclusion

Wildfires. Significant flooding. Extreme Heat. Tornadoes. Our disaster teams have been working tirelessly for months to meet the needs of communities across the country overwhelmed by severe weather. In Iowa and New Mexico alone, more than 400 trained Red Cross disaster responders are providing shelter, food, emotional and spiritual support, relief supplies, and more to people affected by wildfires and severe flooding. With the help of partners, they’ve also distributed more than 30,700 meals and snacks and provided over 3,900 overnight shelter stays. This work cannot be done alone, and it starts with YOU. We're responding to twice the number of major disasters as we did a decade ago, so we need your support now more than ever. Make a donation to help people affected by disasters big and small by calling 800-RED-CROSS or visiting: https://rdcrss.org/3L5PS5Q

For the past 16 years, Gail McGovern has provided the American Red Cross with strong, steady and compassionate leadership as our president and CEO. With Gail at the helm, we've not only been able to honor our 143-year legacy but also support countless people during their darkest hours. "I know I've said it before, but it has truly been the honor of my life to lead our treasured American Red Cross in support of our lifesaving mission," Gail said. "For 16 years, I've had the privilege of waking up every morning and feeling like I have the very best job in the whole world." Gail, today we celebrate your retirement and the impact you've had on all of us. Thank you! ❤️

Opportunities are just around the corner! We're hiring for remote positions on our Communications, Fundraising and IT Development teams. 🌎 Explore these and other positions where your passion can have an impact: https://rdcrss.org/3rB23vb #RedCrossCareers