Heidi Hammond had to flee her home with only her children and her pets. This meant that she didn’t have key equipment to keep her children safe. The Red Cross was able to provide her with the support she needed to protect her kids.
Author: American Red Cross Gold Country Region
The American Red Cross Gold Country Region serves the Sierra-Delta Chapter as well as the Northern California Chapter, a total of 26 counties.
Disaster Mental Health Worker Spotlight: Brenda Benjamin
American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health workers like Brenda Benjamin provide valuable assistance to people who have been impacted by disasters like wildfires.
If you need mental or spiritual care assistance, or any other kind of assistance because you were affected by the wildfires, please call 1-800-RED CROSS.
Thank You, Red Cross Volunteers!
American Red Cross volunteers often feel helping others is reward enough. A gesture like the one seen in this video is even more rewarding.
To become a Red Cross volunteer, and collect your own heartfelt thank-you card, visit redcross.org/volunteer.
Knocking on Doors
During times of trouble, you can count on American Red Cross volunteers like Mike Woods to arrive on scene with a smile on their face (though it may be hard to see through the face mask)! Our Red Cross volunteer spent his days knocking on the doors of Butte County hotels to deliver meals to residents displaced by the recent fires. If you’re interested in joining our team please go to http://www.redcross.org/volunteertoday.
Cancer Doesn’t Stop These Volunteers
The Gold Country Region of the American Red Cross has some incredibly dedicated volunteers! Among them are Heath Wakelee and Mary Prather who don’t let cancer get in the way of helping people who need it most.
Volunteer Dave Boyles Explains Damage Assessment
Volunteer damage assessor Dave Boyles explains just one of the ways the Red Cross helps people who lose their homes to disasters like wildfires.
Wildfire Survivor Story: William and Sondra Weidman
William and Sondra Weidman evacuated the North Complex Fire where their home and 250 acres were destroyed. The Weidmans relocated to the Elk’s Lodge RV park since leaving their home in Kanaka Mountain. The American Red Cross has done a damage assessment on their home, and William visited our Local Assistance Center where we made sure he and Sondra had a place to stay and money to cover their immediate needs.
Feeding, Feeding and More Feeding
“The Red Cross is always there to alleviate suffering during the time of crisis.”
American Red Cross volunteer, Mary Prather, shares her experience in providing breakfast, lunch and dinner to the Red Cross clients that were impacted by the recent fires.
Helping Hands From New York
“We want all of them to know that we are here to support this neighborhood, support this community, support this state… we are going to make sure that we take care of every last person.”
While Joe Spaccarelli is the program director of the home fire program in the Greater New York Region, in his spare time he enjoys helping his fellow community by deploying to national disasters, including this year’s Northern California wildfires.
Joe highlights the importance of helping every single person during their time of need and discusses how challenging it has been helping people during a Covid environment. In addition, Joe really wants those impacted by the wildfires to know that they have some of the most passionate volunteers out there willing to help.
Thank you to New Yorker, Joe Spaccarelli, for lending a hand in the 2020 Northern California wildfires!
Decades of Work Gone- But We Still Have a Future
Longtime Trinity County resident and Marine Corps Veteran Jim Bruffett lost his home in the recent fire and saw footage of his 1952 Marine Corps Jeep burning. Bruffett is grateful that the Red Cross was able to acquire a hotel room that allowed him to stay with his dog. Through his heartache, he remains hopeful of the future and is excited to welcome a new granddaughter in the upcoming months.
Please watch Jim’s story.
