American Red Cross - Serving Iowa

It is CPR & AED Awareness Week, a critical reminder that learning these skills empowers anyone to be the difference between life and death. Most cardiac arrests occur in settings where immediate medical help is unavailable.

Every second counts when someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest. Visit redcross.org/take-a-class to learn what to do.

Roll up your sleeve. Rock the country.

Donate at a participating blood drive and receive two wristbands, while supplies last, for entry to the Rock the Country Festival in Sioux Falls, June 27-28, thanks to Peachtree Entertainment. Here’s your chance to enjoy great music, while ensuring blood is on the shelves for patients in need.

Participating Blood Drives:
Friday, June 5 at LeMars St. John’s Lutheran Church, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Sponsor Code: LeMars

Friday, June 12 at the Sioux City Red Cross Chapter Office, 10 a.m.-3p.m.
Sponsor code: SUXPride

Thursday, June 18 at the Sioux City Red Cross Chapter Office, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sponsor Code: NWIAGives

Make an appointment at redcrossblood.org

Volunteer Position of the Week: Blood Transportation Specialist

Join a lifesaving blood support team in your community. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to learn more about this and other volunteer opportunities.

When a disaster strikes, like destructive winds from a spring tornado or a nighttime house fire, the immediate needs are obvious: food, clothing and a safe place to sleep. But the long road to getting back to normal requires a different kind of ongoing support.

It is the mission of the Nebraska-Iowa Red Cross Client Care Team, an integrated group of staff and volunteers, to ensure that when a family loses everything, they aren’t alone as they rebuild.

Shanie Bockmann, Regional Client Care Manager, emphasizes that empowerment is the foundation of their work: “Ultimately, we want them to be empowered to advocate for their own recovery. We are an objective third party who can point them in the right direction.”

Shanie, who has a background in social work, oversees a team of caseworkers, health workers, and spiritual and mental health specialists across Iowa and Nebraska. They rotate on-call shifts, ensuring that every family affected by a disaster receives a call within 24 hours.

“For most of the people we work with, they have just experienced the worst day of their life,” she explains. “We approach our conversations with empathy and understanding of this as we explain who we are, the framework for how we can help, and what they can expect next. That’s huge.”

One of the first things a Red Cross caseworker does is evaluate the family's needs, whether physical, medical, mental, or spiritual and connect them to specialists.

When a home is destroyed, life-saving essentials often go with it. That’s when the Disaster Health Services (DHS) team is called in.

“We need to move quickly,” says Sue Hensley, lead for the regional DHS team. “You can’t mess around when you need to replace insulin or a wheelchair.”

Sue oversees nearly 40 volunteers, mostly veteran nurses like herself or other medical professionals, who help jumpstart the process of replacing essentials like medicine, mobility aids, glasses or other medical equipment.

Greg Smith, a retired minister and Disaster Spiritual Care Manager, helps survivors navigate the deep questions of identity and loss.

“Disasters disrupt a person’s sense of meaning,” Greg explains. “If we only meet physical needs, we’re only doing part of the work.”

He adds: “It’s not about religion—it’s about helping people process loss, reconnect with what matters most, and begin to make sense of what they’ve been through.”

Greg’s approach is rooted in presence before answers. He recalls a survivor who seemed composed while filing paperwork but eventually broke down under the weight of survivor's guilt. By simply sitting with them and letting them speak the unspoken, the burden shifted.

“That’s what spiritual care looks like,” Greg says. “Quiet, human and deeply meaningful.”

Are you ready to make a difference in your community?

Whether you have a medical background like Sue, a pastoral heart like Greg or a desire to lead like Shanie, there is a place for you. Join our team at redcross.org/volunteer.

This May 1-31, Hy-Vee encourages shoppers to round up their purchases to support
veterans and military families through its Hy-Vee Homefront Campaign. A portion
of the money raised during the campaign will help fund programs the Red Cross
provides to those who serve our nation.

Thanks to Hy-Vee for their partnership.

To make an appointment at one of these blood drives, or to find a drive near you, visit redcrossblood.org.

Water safety starts with simple habits!

Teach children to ask permission before entering the water so adults can confirm a designated water watcher is in place alongside any lifeguards.

Between end-of-school madness, milestone celebrations and summer prep, it’s a busy time of year and donation appointments are down. The need for blood doesn't stop though. We need you now! Please book a time to give: https://rcblood.org/appt

Volunteer Position of the Week: Disaster Action Team Member

Disaster Action Teams (DAT) respond to local disasters and provide immediate compassion and care.

Learn more and find the right volunteer opportunity for you at redcross.org/volunteer.