In 2024, extreme weather mounted an overwhelming toll on people in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and throughout the United States. People impacted by disasters have 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 losses exceeding $1 billion — are topped only by last year’s record-breaking 28. To help, 21 Red Cross volunteers from the Metro New York North Chapter have been part of teams responding nonstop to provide shelter, food and other assistance to tens of thousands of people reeling from this year’s hurricanes, including Helene and Milton as well as wildfires, tornadoes and more — 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 extreme weather shows no signs of slowing down,” said Stephanie Dunn Ashley, chapter CEO, American Red Cross Metro New York North chapter, who deployed virtually to help reunite families in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. “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, December 3rd, and holiday season, visit redcross.org to make a financial donation or an appointment to give blood or platelets. Individuals can also give the gift of time through volunteering.
Need For Food In 2024 Nearly Triples 5-Year National Average
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 7 million meals and snacks, served by Red Cross volunteers, nearly tripled that average.
On a national scale, 21 volunteers from Metro New York North chapter responded to help during disasters such as Hurricanes Helene and Milton, severe storms, floods and wildfires in other areas of the country, with 14 deploying to support roles to support shelters and food distribution specifically.
Locally, Metro New York North chapter volunteers provided emergency assistance to 289 families after 80 home fires and other disasters in Westchester and Rockland counties and in Greenwich, Connecticut, between January and October 2024.
Responding to other humanitarian needs this year, the Red Cross addressed people’s urgent needs in other ways too:
- BLOOD DONATIONS: Across the Metro New York North chapter, we collected 8,572 blood donations at 310 blood drives in the first 10 months of 2024. 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. To celebrate 30 years of FRIENDS, all who come to give blood or platelets Nov. 18-Dec. 8 will receive two pairs of custom FRIENDS + Red Cross socks, while supplies last, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products. See RedCrossBlood.org/Friends for details.
- 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 — including over 6,870 in Metro New York North — this year with vital first aid, CPR and AED skills to help them prevent and respond to heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
- MILITARY FAMILIES: Through our 24/7, global Hero Care Network, local Red Cross workers supported 313 military members, veterans and their families in Metro New York North this year by providing over 720 services, such as connecting deployed service members and loved ones during family emergencies and answering thousands of calls from military families affected by this year’s hurricanes — including Helene and Milton — and connecting them with military aid societies to help facilitate recovery assistance.
All of this is made possible by the 793 local volunteers who donated nearly 50,000 hours of service in the first 10 months of 2024 across Westchester and Rockland counties, Greenwich, Connecticut, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Visit our End of Year Review webpage for more information about how we helped people across Metro New York North in 2024.
