By TERRY STIGDON
As our nation marks its 250th year, I find myself reflecting on the people and principles that have shaped who we are. For over half of our country’s history, the American Red Cross has been part of that story; quietly showing up in moments when help, hope and humanity matter most. Since Clara Barton founded the organization in 1881, the heart of our mission has remained the same: in times of crisis, we take care of one another.
This Red Cross Month, I want to celebrate not just our history, but the extraordinary individuals who bring this mission to life every day – our volunteers, donors, partners and the neighbors who believe in looking out for one another. You are the reason we can do what we do.
While the American Red Cross is part of the world’s largest humanitarian network, our work begins right here at home. This past year in the Indiana Region, we helped more than 2,300 individual families who faced a total of more than 1,500 disasters. Behind every one of those numbers is a person who suddenly found themselves in a moment of fear or loss and needed someone to lean on.
In those moments, it is often a Red Cross volunteer; sometimes a neighbor from just down the street, who arrives with comfort, resources and a steady hand. That first act of kindness is the beginning of a family’s recovery.
But recovery is never something that happens alone. Resilient communities are built when people step forward: when volunteers respond at all hours, when donors give generously, when families take steps to prepare for emergencies. The true strength of the Red Cross is ordinary people choosing to make an extraordinary difference.
Because of generous blood donors across Indiana, we were able to deliver lifesaving blood products to patients here and throughout the country. The Red Cross provides about 40% of the nation’s blood supply, supporting premature babies, accident victims, cancer patients, new mothers and individuals living with sickle cell disease. Each donation is a quiet but powerful act of compassion.
In 2025 alone, more than 80,000 people in our region received CPR, First Aid, and other lifesaving training, which are skills that can change the outcome of an emergency. Nearly 2,000 families are safer today thanks to free smoke alarms installed through our Home Fire Campaign. And more than 1,000 military members and their families received critical support to help them stay connected to loved ones through some of their hardest days.
As we honor Red Cross Month, I am deeply grateful for the steady generosity of people in our region. Your compassion fuels every response, every training, every act of support for our military and their families.
But the need continues. Disasters are becoming more frequent and more severe. Patients rely on a consistent blood supply. Families still face emergencies that can upend their lives in an instant.
So this March, I’m asking you to join us.
Give blood. Volunteer your time. Learn lifesaving skills. Make a financial gift if you can. Each action, big or small, helps ensure our communities are prepared, supported and resilient when emergencies strike.
Together, as neighbors helping neighbors, we can continue to bring care, comfort and hope to those who need it most. When we look out for one another, we build stronger, more resilient communities. We carry forward the best of who we are today, and for generations to come.
To learn more about how you can make a difference, visit redcross.org.
Terry Stigdon is the CEO of the American Red Cross Indiana Region. For more news, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
