We want YOU to volunteer

Being part of the American Red Cross means that we need to help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.  At this point in time, the southern states recently ravaged by tornadoes and flooding are in a state of emergency. 

Early estimates have shown more than 13,000 homes across the six states have been destroyed or damaged, which means many of those inhabitants have nowhere to go.  This is why the American Red Cross is launching a massive recovery operation and has already deployed over 4,500 Red Cross staff and volunteers, 3 of which come from this Chapter.  They’re helping to provide food, shelter, emotional support and relief items to those affected by the devastation. 

It’s clear that as this operation continues to unfold, we are going to need more volunteers to help with recovery.  We welcome everyone to volunteer, but at this time we’re in a specific need for medical and mental health professionals to donate their time and talents.  Because of this, we’re offering training for new volunteers next week that would allow them to be eligible for deployment as early as Sunday, May 15^th**, and Red Cross volunteers will also be eligible to respond to disasters here in Western New York.    

**Deployment is dependent on the completion and acceptance of all background checks and paperwork.

Upcoming training schedule for medical professionals only:

Disaster Health Services Training

When: Thursday, May 12th, 11am-2pm

Where: American Red Cross, 786 Delaware Ave, Buffalo

Contact: Mary Walls at 878.2140

Disaster Mental Health Training

When: Thursday, May 12th, 6pm-9pm,

Where: American Red Cross, 786 Delaware Ave, Buffalo

Contact: Mary Walls at 878.2140

Upcoming training schedule for all volunteers:

Disaster Services Overview/Shelter Operations Training

When: Saturday, May 14th, 9am-3pm

Where: American Red Cross, 2079 Sawyer Dr, Niagara Falls

Contact: Mary Walls at 878.2140

For more training opportunities, please contact Mary Walls at 878.2140 or wallsma@usa.redcross.org, view our Disaster Training schedule online, or visit our website to learn more about what other volunteer opportunities we have available.

Don’t currently have time to volunteer? Make a donation to help with the relief efforts, learn more by visiting us online. 

Bills and Verizon Wireless Team Up for Tornado Relief

The Federal Government has announced that over 600 tornadoes touched down in the month of April.  Thousands of towns and cities have been destroyed and damaged and residents are now left with little or nothing to call home.  The American Red Cross has launched a huge recovery operation across the six affected southern states, opening hundreds of shelters, serving more than 513,000 meals, and helping families take the next step in recovering their lives. 

Bills VP Russ Brandon and first round draft pick Marcell Dareus with
Heather Filipowicz, CFRE, Sr. Director of Advancement.

As a humanitarian organization, we rely on donations from the public so that we can perform our mission, which is why we’re so thankful to the Buffalo Bill's owner, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr., and Verizon Wireless.  During last weekend’s NFL Draft, these two organizations teamed up to donate $10,000 to our Disaster Relief Fund in honor of first round pick Marcell Dareus, from the University of Alabama.  Their generosity will help us provide the immediate emergency needs of disaster victims and help them make the steps to rebuilding what they’ve lost. 

To help us to continue to provide aid to families affected by disaster, please visit us online.



For more information on the Bills donation
to our Disaster Relief Fund, click here.

And the countdown begins!

It's almost time Buffalo! One month from today we'll be militarizing Red Cross Headquarters for the biggest party in Buffalo this summer!! What’s even better? All proceeds from this event stay right here in WNY! So what is this amazing event you ask?! BASH!!

What can you expect if you attend?

You’ll get to hang out with 4,000 fellow Buffalonians, taste food from some of the most fabulous restaurants around town, meet amazing people, listen to the toe tapping tunes of Lance Diamond, and dance the night away with the DJs from Signature Entertainment! And if that’s not enough to be excited about, our BASH auction has some amazing getaways, jewelry, art, and more just waiting for your bid! Check them out on our BASH Facebook page!

How do I get in?!

The BASH raffle is the ONLY way for you to get into the event!

One raffle ticket for $100.00 gets you two general admission tickets, 2 drinks/person, all the fabulous food you can eat, and the chance to win $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500.

Still not enough for you?

Our VIP ticket holders get to start the party early, enjoy unlimited food and drink, have access to all of the tents, and are treated like the Generals they are!!

For ticket information, call Heather at our Headquarters today at 716.878.2396 or e-mail her at fililpowiczh@usa.redcross.org.

Want to learn more about the auction? Do you or your company have something you’d like to donate? Contact Emily at 716.878.2374 or shafere@usa.redcross.org. 

Looking to have your company become a sponsor or just want to learn more about what a sponsorship can offer? Contact Jerilyn at 716.878.2383 or hickeyje@usa.redcross.org. 

To learn more about the event, check out our webpage, Facebook page, or contact the Red Cross Headquarters at 716.886.7500.

Help our neighbors in the south

Photo courtesy of the Delaware County Chapter
of the American Red Cross

Do you wish that you could help the individuals affected by the devastating storms in the south? We’re looking for dedicated volunteers who are willing to donate their time to help with the search and rescue efforts down south, especially those with a training background in mental health. 

"The mental health is the thing they're really pushing for right now especially for down south, but in general mental health people to come in and help council and they're really looking to deploy those people in Alabama, and North Carolina, and Missouri, and Arkansas in those states down south right now."
–Jay Bonafede, Communications Director for the Greater Buffalo Chapter

What does it take to become a deployable volunteer for the American Red Cross?

The American Red Cross is always looking for dedicated volunteers to add to its ranks.  To be a deployable volunteer for the American Red Cross, you must attend several trainings in order to be eligible.  For a list of these requirements and upcoming scheduled trainings, click here or call us at the Greater Buffalo Chapter, 716.886.7500, to learn more.

For other volunteer opportunities with the American Red Cross, click here!

To learn more about where you can send your donations for disaster relief in the states affected by the tornadoes, visit us online.