Local Red Cross Volunteers Provide Lifeline For Families Strained By Disasters

     In 2025, local volunteers became a lifeline for thousands of neighbors reeling from disasters across the Illinois region.
     In a powerful display of community, over 3,000 local volunteers responded alongside partners to provide safe refuge, hot meals, emotional support and basic health services for families devastated by tornadoes, flooding and hundreds of home fires. The Red Cross also distributed thousands of dollars in financial assistance directly to hundreds of households recovering in 2025 from disasters of all sizes across the Illinois 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.
     “Disasters don’t take holidays — and neither do our volunteers,” said Kellie O’Connell, CEO of the Illinois Red Cross “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 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:
     • Over 200 local volunteers delivered aid for major disasters across the country, including wildfires and flooding. Responding to disasters is a team effort, and as they become more frequent and intense, families are relying on volunteers for support.
     • Over 141,400 units of blood were collected across the Illinois region helping thousands of patients locally 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 volunteers and staff supported military and veteran communities by facilitating over 6,500 emergency communications and provided financial assistance and critical community services to military families.