In 2024, the climate crisis mounted an overwhelming toll on people in the U.S., who relied on the American Red Cross for relief and care as they faced the country’s second-highest number of billion-dollar disasters ever recorded.

This year’s 24 major climate and weather events — each with overall damages/costs exceeding $1 billion — are topped only by last year’s record-breaking 28. To help, over 216 Red Cross volunteers from the Northern California Coastal Region have been part of teams responding nonstop to provide shelter, food and other assistance to tens of thousands of people across the country reeling from this year’s hurricanes, storms, floods, wildfires and other humanitarian crisis — all while continuing to care for families still recovering from 2023’s extreme disasters.

“First-hand, I’ve seen the devastation that disasters have caused families this year — and the climate crisis shows no signs of slowing down,” said Hanna Malak, Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region CEO. “Whether a crisis happens in our backyard or a community across the country, neighbors are counting on us to help ensure they don’t face it alone. Please join us by making a donation of any size or rolling up a sleeve to give blood or platelets.”

This Giving Tuesday and holiday season, visit redcross.org to make a financial donation, to make a blood or platelet donation appointment or to give the gift of time through volunteering.

Necessities In Demand

Nationally, the scope of disasters increased this year’s demand for necessities like food and emergency lodging — which both exceeded the annual average for the past five years. In fact, this year’s more than seven million meals and snacks, served by Red Cross volunteers, nearly tripled that average.

Volunteers Provide Relief

Here are some examples of how volunteers from the Northern California Coastal Region stepped up to address emerging needs in local communities and across the nation:

Veronica Oberholzer, Regional Development Operations Manager, works alongside a team of fundraisers and volunteers to ensure that the Red Cross can deliver help and bring hope to those affected by disasters. This July, for the first time, she deployed to Houston, Texas, to support those affected by Hurricane Beryl after it struck the Texas coast.

Nikita Johnson, a survivor of a childhood home fire, leads efforts to protect vulnerable communities in San Benito County. Her personal experience drives her passion for fire safety. Partnering with the Red Cross, she secured a $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation of San Benito County to support the Home Fire Campaign, which educates households and installs free smoke alarms.

Hans Cardenas is a man with a mission. He aims to personally make 100 homes safer by installing free smoke alarms through the American Red Cross Sound the Alarm program.

Oakland Fire Captain Brian Oftedal fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a firefighter and has formed a strong bond with the Red Cross, where he volunteers. He plays a vital role in the Sound the Alarm campaign, installing free smoke alarms and providing fire safety education. His commitment to serving his community is unwavering.

Caro Dratva, a dedicated volunteer with the Red Cross, was inspired to help others after witnessing disasters in her youth. Since 9/11, she has committed herself to the Red Cross mission, developing skills that save lives and providing support when disasters strike.

Variety Of Aid

This year, the Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region addressed people’s urgent needs in several other meaningful ways, too.

Blood Donations: Millions of blood donors nationwide helped overcome a significant number of blood drive cancellations due to the country’s severe weather and heat. This support was critical because as the nation’s largest blood supplier, the Red Cross helped ensure patients continued accessing lifesaving treatment during major disasters by pre-positioning blood products near areas likely to be impacted — including in Georgia and Florida for Hurricane Helene and in Florida again just days later for Hurricane Milton.

Lifesaving Training: With emergency rooms experiencing a spike in heat illness visits amid the country’s extreme temperatures, Red Cross instructors empowered millions of people with vital first aid, CPR and AED skills to help them prevent and respond to heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Locally, the Training Services team, in partnership with the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), hosted a record-setting youth certification event for the entire eighth grade class at Antioch’s Park Middle School, certifying 350 students in Adult CPR and the use of an AED in one day.

Military Families: Through the 24/7, global Hero Care Network, more than 87 local Red Cross workers supported military members, veterans and their families this year through services, such as connecting deployed service members and loved ones during family emergencies. Locally, the Red Cross Services to the Armed Forces volunteer team is honored to support the San Jose Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), ensuring that military members and their families are connected with vital Red Cross resources from the moment recruits take their oath, through their active duty, and into veteran life.

International Aid: With the climate crisis on the rise worldwide, the work done by volunteers locally was part of the broader American Red Cross International Services, which included providing millions in aid to support relief efforts led by local Red Cross societies for 16 global climate disasters, such as this year’s drought in Mozambique, flooding in southern Brazil and Cyclone Remal in Bangladesh.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow them on social media.