Red Cross volunteers provide lifeline for families strained by disasters

This Giving Tuesday, make a financial donation or appointment to give blood at redcross.org

Red Cross Press Release

In 2025, local volunteers became a lifeline for thousands of neighbors reeling from disasters in the 27-county footprint of the Western New York region. In total, more than 2,100 active local Red Cross volunteers contributed in excess of 117,000 hours of service to the communities served within the region.

In a powerful display of community, hundreds of volunteers from across the Western New York region responded alongside partners to provide safe refuge, hot meals, emotional support, and basic health services for families devastated by disasters including hundreds of home fires, tornadoes, flooding throughout the Southern Tier chapter, winter weather and more. The Red Cross also distributed more than $700,000 in financial assistance directly to households recovering in 2025 from disasters of all sizes across the region.

The need for this support shows no sign of slowing down. In the U.S., Red Cross home fire responses spike nearly 20% during the holidays, when families face increased fire risks such as cooking and heating. In this region, more than 600 people rely on the Red Cross after home fires in a typical November and December.

“Disasters don’t take holidays – and neither do our volunteers,” said Nick Bond, CEO, American Red Cross of Western New York region. “Thanks to generous donations, they have the resources to deliver comfort, hope and support to help people recover. Through these simple acts of giving, we come together as a community to bring light to a family’s darkest days – right when it’s needed most.”

This Giving Tuesday and holiday season, visit redcross.org to make a financial donation or to give back through volunteering. You can also make an appointment to give blood or platelets. The need for blood is constant – and just like disasters, medical emergencies don’t take holidays.

Also in 2025:

How local responders helped disaster survivors, hospital patients & military families

•Hundreds of local volunteers delivered aid for major disasters across the country, including the California wildfires, flooding in Kentucky, Typhoon Halong in Alaska and more. Responding to disasters is a team effort, and as they become more frequent and intense, families are relying on volunteers for support.

•Blood and platelet donors at more than 5,000 local blood drives donated more than 111,000 units of blood to help save lives in this region and across the country, including people facing life-threatening conditions like cancer, sickle cell disease, childbirth complications and traumatic injuries. Patients rely on a consistent blood supply to survive and heal – and it’s the blood already on the shelves that helps save lives in an emergency.

•Local Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) volunteers and staff provided more than 1,500 services to military members, veterans and their families including programming at local VA Hospitals, resource events and more.

Visit www.redcross.org/WNYYearinReview for stories about how more than 2,100 volunteers from the WNY region helped in 2025.

GivingTuesday is an annual event dedicated to boosting radical generosity, held on the Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Created in 2012 at New York’s 92nd Street Y, the idea behind Giving Tuesday was to set aside a single day to give back. Over 13 years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires millions of people to donate, volunteer and spread awareness. For many nonprofits, funds raised on Giving Tuesday serve as an important kickoff for year-end charitable campaigns.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% 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 on social media.