Blog Posts

RedCrossNW Disaster Services, Sound the Alarm, Volunteers

The many ways Steve Hatfield serves the Red Cross

By Gordon Williams  Red Cross volunteer, Steve Hatfield, while on deployment in Puerto Rico If you are pressed for time, don’t ask Steve Hatfield of Centralia WA to list all the things he has done for the American Red Cross in his nearly two decades as a Red Cross staffer and volunteer. The list runs … Continue reading The many ways Steve Hatfield serves the Red Cross

RedCrossNW Sound the Alarm, Volunteers

Why MaryKate Hamilton gives back to the Red Cross

By Gordon Williams  MaryKate Hamilton Ask the typical volunteer how they first came in contact with the Red Cross and most often they’ll mention a blood drive or a first aid class. But MaryKate Hamilton of Spokane WA, a volunteer with the Red Cross Greater Inland Northwest Chapter, tells a very different story.  MaryKate was a young mother … Continue reading Why MaryKate Hamilton gives back to the Red Cross

RedCrossNW Service to the Armed Forces, Volunteers

Mental Health and the Military: How Red Cross Volunteers are Serving Those who Serve

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It's also Military Appreciation Month, and the Red Cross is strongly committed to both supporting mental health and supporting members of the Armed Forces and their families. Combining the two, the Red Cross trains licensed mental health professionals to volunteer and provide support to members of the military, veterans and their families. 

RedCrossNW Disaster Services, Volunteers

Stepping in Where Needed: These new Red Cross Volunteers Help Fill an Essential Position in Walla Walla

Dana (left) and Crystal (right) are two of our newest volunteers in Walla Walla, Washington By Gordon Williams  One of the many things Dana Evans does in Walla Walla WA is serve as president of the local chapter of the Exchange Club — a national service organization. Dana was presiding over an Exchange Club luncheon recently when … Continue reading Stepping in Where Needed: These new Red Cross Volunteers Help Fill an Essential Position in Walla Walla

RedCrossNW Disaster Services

Meet Jenny Carkner – the Region’s new Chief Disaster Officer

By Gordon Williams  For most of us, disaster planning involves safeguarding our own homes and homesteads against fire, flood, and storm. For Jenny Carkner of Ellensburg WA, disaster planning involves safeguarding all the dwellings that house the eight million people who live within the American Red Cross Northwest Region.    A veteran of more than 17 … Continue reading Meet Jenny Carkner – the Region’s new Chief Disaster Officer

RedCrossNW Service to the Armed Forces

How Red Cross Resiliency Training Helps The Region’s Military

The challenges of military life are pretty obvious -- deployment to danger zones, long periods of separation followed by all the issues involved with reconnecting. Add to that the trauma caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for resiliency training is pretty clear. No surprise that participation in resiliency workshops is at record levels, according to Jason Matheney, SAF Program Director for the Red Cross Northwest Region.