The holidays are a time for community. As we come together with loved ones, it’s important to remember the ways we can be a beacon of hope for those who need our help.
I think of the families whose lives have been turned upside down by emergencies, especially by the growing frequency and intensity of disasters. Last week’s historic flooding in Maine is just one of these catastrophes – a once-in-a-hundred-year event that threatens to occur more frequently thanks to climate change. In fact, 2023 is a record year of extreme climate and weather events, at least 25 of which caused losses exceeding $1 billion.
Over the past decade, the number of billion-dollar disasters has increased by 80% in the U.S. This comes on top of smaller, everyday crises like home fires, which are no less devastating to the families coping with them. The Red Cross responded to 222 home fires across the state this year, assisting 800 Mainers.
Year-round, local Red Cross volunteers from southern Maine to Aroostook County answered the call to help during people’s darkest hours, providing shelter, food and comfort when their neighbors needed it most.
With no signs of extreme disasters slowing down, we must work together to do more.
Please join us to give comfort and hope by visiting redcross.org. You can also help by making an appointment to donate blood or platelets.
It takes all of us to care for one another. During the holiday season, turn your compassion into action for the families who depend on our collective support.
Steve Thomas
Executive director, Southern Maine chapter American Red Cross
Portland
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