Western New York Tri-County Chapter. Annual Report

Transcription

1 Power of Volunteers Generosity of Donors Western New York Tri-County Chapter 2012 Annual Report

2 AMERICAN RED CROSS, WNY TRI-COUNTY CHAPTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS CO-CHAIRS Michael Anderson Wayne VanVleet, Esq. SECRETARY Rebecca Rider MEMBERS Kenneth Curry James Faville Carolyn Laney Monica Scarlotta Daniel Virag A Leadership Message Nothing stays the same! Change, progress, adapt; they are the buzzwords for the world we live in. It seems the more changes that occur, the more we long for the days when things were slower. We look for the return of Happy Days and Leave it to Beaver, and yet that cannot be! Cell phones, computers and instant messages move us faster and faster. The Red Cross is one of the constants in an ever-changing and fast paced world - it always takes time to help people when they need it most. Today, as we have been for decades, the Red Cross is in the community, ready to respond. When a disaster strikes, a small group of dedicated volunteers are ready to provide assistance, and they respond with compassion, care and understanding. Clients are given the time they need to discuss the emergency and time is spent to find resources to guide the family or individual back to recovery. Volunteers greet blood donors when they hesitantly enter to give blood for the first time. Time is spent assuring the new donor that they are valued and that the experience will be quick and easy. When the donor completes that life-saving gesture, another volunteer is present to offer a listening ear and, of course, cookies and a beverage. Donors are encouraged to linger a moment and enjoy the satisfaction of a good deed done. The Western New York Tri County Chapter of the American Red Cross has seen many changes in the past several years. Through it all we have strived to maintain the level of service you expect from us. We value your time and experience and encourage your suggestions as we look for opportunities to serve the community in new ways while keeping the same services you have come to expect from us. As we review our year we want to take this time to thank the volunteers, donors and friends of the Red Cross. Without your support, guidance and time, we could not do the work we do within and for the community. Thank you! Judith Nagel Executive Director Michael Anderson and Wayne Van Vleet Co-Chairs Contributions to the American Red Cross, WNY Tri County Chapter Fiscal Year 2012* Corporate, foundation and individual giving $35,634 United Way and other community or federated campaigns** $36,208 Special Event revenue (net) $6,727 Total Contributions $78,569 *Un-audited revenue. A full statement of operating funds and functional expenses for the American Red Cross is available on redcross.org/publications. **Includes State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).

3 Disaster Never Takes A Holiday Our Disaster Action Team (DAT) is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help our neighbors following house fires and other disasters. Often, these volunteers wake up in the middle of the night or sacrifice time with their families to help others. This is especially true during the holidays. On Christmas Eve 2011, DAT volunteers were called to apartment building fire on Thomas Street in Holley which affected 17 separate units. Thanks to your support, the Red Cross was able to provide a warm place to stay, food, clothing and emotional support to 22 residents. For more information on becoming a Disaster Action Team volunteer, please call (585) Emergency Services In Fiscal Year 2012: Assisted 135 community members affected by fires and other local disasters Provided $3,073 in immediate emergency assistance Educated 750 people in our community disaster education and preparedness programs Back on Their Feet The approach of Hurricane Irene in August 2011 sent New York State into high alert, with the American Red Cross providing support by opening shelters and preparing to respond in the days after with refuge, meals and comfort to those affected. As we conducted relief efforts following Irene, Tropical Storm Lee appeared next, cutting short any thought of respite from disaster. Though the storms caused widespread flooding, power outages and damage to homes and businesses, the Red Cross continued to offer assistance, delivering supplies to stranded communities, operating shelters that housed people displaced by the floods, and providing more than 13,700 cleanup and approximately 7,900 comfort kits so residents had essential tools and supplies in hand as they began taking steps toward recovery. More than 13,900 overnight shelter stays afforded people some rest, while 8,700 mental health contacts were made to help people cope with overwhelming emotional demands of the disaster. Two volunteers from the Tri-County Chapter responded to the call for help. Judy Chattin of Kent and Cheryl Christiansen of Warsaw deployed downstate to help with the devastation left by the hurricane and tropical storm as they swept through. Shelter at SUNY Binghamton, which had over 1,700 residents Recovery efforts continue today as New York rebounds from the impact of Irene and Lee. Working alongside long-term recovery groups, nonprofit partners and government agencies, the Red Cross is working to ensure that New York s hardest hit residents have access to the resources they need to recover. Thank you for your generosity, which helps lend a helping hand and gives hope to those who have lost everything in the blink of an eye.

4 Services to Armed Forces In Fiscal Year 2012: Assisted 100 members of the armed forces and their families with services including emergency communications For more information on Services to Armed Forces, call Serving Our Armed Forces The American Red Cross Services to the Armed Forces dates back to the Civil War. As the Angel of the Battlefield, Clara Barton provided emergency care to soldiers injured during war, and after the battles would locate the families of deceased servicemen. Now nearly 150 years later, the Red Cross is still supporting and helping active-duty military, National Guard and Reserve members, veterans and their families. Deployed service members count on us to deliver emergency messages, such as notification of an illness or death in the family. Military families rely on these verified communications, which help commanders decide when to grant leave. Our service to military families doesn t end when a deployment is over. The Red Cross regularly meets with military and family members as they return from deployment, providing information on programs such as Reconnection Workshops, which provide tools to help the returning service member have a positive reunion with their family and a successful reentry into civilian life. We also provide support for the sick and wounded at military and veterans hospitals, and assistance in obtaining emergency financial support.

5 Putting Those First Aid Skills To The Test From First Aid/CPR to water safety to babysitter certification, an average of over nine million people a year gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies through American Red Cross training. These life-saving skills are taught in the classroom, online and via custom training, where the American Red Cross brings the classroom to your workplace or organization. Now, we re bringing a chance to test those skills to your office as well! Health & Safety In Fiscal Year 2012: 2,011 individuals learned to save a life through First Aid, CPR/AED and other Health & Safety training 58 learned to swim and 25 were certified as lifeguards The First Aid Emergency Drills work much like the fire drills we all remember from our school days. On a selected date (kept secret from your team), a Red Cross team will return to your site and set up a scenario with victims to which your employees need to respond. When we activated our drill here at the Red Cross, the victim had an open head wound, and we were later told that she stopped breathing. Our responders, who had no advance knowledge of the situation, quickly checked on her status and called 911. While waiting for EMS to respond, the team covered her wound, performed CPR and used an AED. Following the drill, Red Cross instructors reviewed the response and provided feedback. In our case, we were told that we worked well together, and our victim likely survived. It really was a test of the organization s ability to respond in an emergency, and helped the individual responders gain confidence in their ability to provide care if needed. 15 kids received Babysitter s Training Certification To schedule a First Aid training course and follow-up emergency drill at your organization, contact Jill Gregory at (716) or jill.gregory@redcross.org. For individuals, a full list of course descriptions, schedules, and registration information is available at or by calling REDCROSS.

6 Blood Services In Fiscal Year 2012: Collected 6,485 units of blood To donate, call REDCROSS or visit Blood Making Sure It s Available We supported the efforts of the American Red Cross New York-Penn Blood Services Region, which processes, tests and safeguards blood collected from donors in communities in Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Orleans, Wyoming, Genesee and Allegany counties, and distributes s nearly 520,000 units of lifesaving blood to 129 hospitals.

7 An Internship In Disaster For two weeks in June, Regional Director of Emergency Services Kenneth Turner took a step back in job titles, serving as an intern at the Disaster Operations Center (DOC) at National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Intern is really a misleading title, Turner said of his duties in Washington. I was actually working in operations management as regular DOC staffers went out in the field doing hurricane preparedness. There were plenty of operations to manage the DOC was supporting 18 separate national responses while Turner was there, with the help of 50 different televisions to monitor the various situations. In addition to preparing and distributing the daily business report to CEO Gail McGovern and her team, Turner focused on the response to flooding in Jacksonville, Florida and wildfires in Colorado. Everyone was approaching the situation from their own perspective, Turner said. I was able to bring the perspective of a local Chapter employee, which was an experience many of the team at the DOC didn t have. Kenneth Turner (Right) at Disaster Operations Center in Washington, D.C. Turner has already put some of the new perspective he gained at the DOC to work here at home. I learned the importance of giving them information even before they ask, so they know what is happening and what is needed, Turner said. When a fatal house explosion in Niagara County made national news about a month later, I knew to call the DOC and let them know the Red Cross was on the scene. Communication can be our biggest challenge, but it s also our biggest opportunity to improve our efficiency. Seeing the number of operations taking place simultaneously, some of which had began two or three months earlier, taught Turner another important lesson. We always say the Red Cross is the first to arrive and the last to leave, he said. Long after the media and attention is gone, the devastation continues. We still have people out there, meeting those needs in a great way.

8 Western New York Tri-County Chapter Serving Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties 109 Main Street, Batavia, NY (585) Main Street, Medina, NY (585) Mission Statement The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Network Humanity Impartiality Neutrality Independence Voluntary service Unity Universality To get started, visit us at And find us on social media: Facebook.com/Western-New-York-Tri-County-Chapter-of-the-American-Red-Cross/ Generously Supported By: