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Let's honor Dr. King's vision by serving and strengthening our communities every day!
The Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday is an official day of service and celebrates the civil rights leader’s life and legacy. This year, Red Crossers honored the National Day of Service by volunteering, hosting blood drives or helping neighbors. ARC Greater Pennsylvania volunteers were proud to spend the day engaging their community, sharing volunteer opportunities for youth and promoting youth emergency preparedness. |
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ISSUE AT-A-GLANCE
- Featured Alumni, Wendy Harman,
- Alumni Q&A with Eddie Tschan, currently in Kyiv
- Son Michael Pham - a posthumous feature
- February Webinar - Wendy Harman
- ICRC updates from Gaza and the hostage and detainee releases
- Red Cross updates on the Los Angeles area wildfires and disasters around the world
- Red Cross features Steve Bullock during Black History Month
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Members Asked to VOTE Now on the ARCAN Articles of Incorporation
On February 10, all members received an email requesting that you vote on the new ARCAN Articles of Incorporation. Votes received by midnight Eastern Time, March 4 will be counted. A total of 100 responses are needed, so please vote now. A simple majority of votes (51%) will be used to approve these amendments. If you have questions, send to info@redcrossalumni.org. |
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Welcome New ARCAN Members!
We're so excited to continue to see new Red Cross alumni joining ARCAN! We want to welcome you and encourage you to explore all that the community has to offer, including ARCAN's exclusive benefits, from the Member Directory to Alumni Stories and Events. A full list of member benefits can be found on the ARCAN website: www.redcrossalumni.org. We love that you're part of the community!! |
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“[Wendy] was writing a tweet when President Obama stopped at her desk, and she asked him if he wanted to push the key to post it. (He did!) No one realized at the moment that it was the first tweet Obama had sent, and he did it from the @RedCross account, which made national news!"
How Wendy Harman Transformed the Use of Social Media at the American Red Cross
By Roger Lowe
During Wendy Harman’s nearly 10 years at the American Red Cross, she led the organization’s first steps into the new world of social media and its transformation into using social posts and other information to help disaster response decision-making in real time.
While working in the music business, Wendy had a front-row seat as peer-to-peer filesharing and the Internet in general completely disrupted the industry. “I could see that technology would disrupt everything as it had in the music industry, and I wanted to help other sectors navigate the change,” she said. And that brought her to the Red Cross in 2006. Read the full story |
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"The Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement remains an impressive humanitarian movement that is so committed and active after more than a century since Henry Dunant expressed his vision of global human action under the seven guiding principles. It’s a privilege to have been part of this vision!"
Where are they now? A Q&A with Eddie Tschan
Eduard (Eddie) Tschan held many positions with the American Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC). Among them were senior program director of International Services at Red Cross where he was also the head of the Measles and Rubella Initiative which provided millions of children free measle vaccinations in Africa. At the IFRC he was senior representative for the Movement and head of IFRC in the Haiti Earthquake response, and he was deputy director for the Middle East in Amman, Jordan.
Q. What are you working on now with the International Medical Corps (IMC) in Kyiv?
A. Developing a new longer term program portfolio for the IMC for Ukraine. It will build on IMC’s humanitarian work there, which started after the Russian invasion three years ago. IMC has provided health care, mental health, winterization, gender based violence prevention and services and other support to hundreds of thousands of people, mostly on the frontlines of the war in eastern Ukraine.
Q. What were your favorite programs you worked on with the Red Cross?
Read the full Q&A |
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After receiving Red Cross aid at a refugee camp Son Michael Pham spent his life “paying it forward”
Son Michael Pham grew up and lived in South Vietnam and left with his family of seven on the last day before the end of the war. More than 2,000 people were packed on a container ship searching for safety and freedom. Whenever a plane was spotted, a small group gathered in a small area of the ship, each person held a red piece of material or clothing forming the Red Cross sign, their S.O.S. signal.
Read the full story |
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Volunteering Can be a Charitable Mileage Tax Deduction
Tax season is upon us, and it's important to remember that any miles you spend driving your personal vehicle to and from your place of volunteering can be a "charitable mileage tax deduction," set by the IRS at 14 cents per mile. This includes driving to wherever you volunteer, whether an office, blood drive, fire in the community, etc. The money can add up to a hefty reimbursement depending on how much you drive/volunteer. More tips, plus What's New in the Tax Guide for Seniors. Access Publication 554 (2024) tax guide here. |
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Instances Where Paying More Taxes, Not Less, Might be the Right Play
From Retallick Financial Group
Reducing your taxes via getting into a lower tax bracket isn’t always possible. In these cases, it might make sense to take advantage of the “headroom” you have in your existing top bracket. The idea is to strategically accelerate income in order to reduce your overall taxes. With tax-filing season underway, now may be a good time to think about this option. Accelerating income goes against the first rule of traditional tax planning: defer taxes whenever possible. But, there may be reasons to rethink this rule depending on your situation. Read the full story |
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ARCAN Retiree Connection Program Helped 177 Retirees in 2024
In 2024, the Retiree Connection (RC), ARCAN’s helpline, assisted 177 retirees with questions related to their pensions, including the annuity companies, retiree health benefits, the ARC Savings Plan, and other benefits issues. The program also covers ARCAN phones and gets membership issues into the right hands. The RC is staffed by retiree-volunteers, called “Links." Read the full story |
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February's ARCAN Webinar with Wendy Harman
Wednesday, February 26, 5:30-6:30 p.m. ET
Wendy Harman is still helping organizations integrate new technologies with their mission. She introduced digital solutions including social media to the American Red Cross, advancing Red Cross service delivery and winning awards for her innovations. As impressive as her path has been since leaving the Red Cross—including a stint at the White House—she notes, “I have stayed in the space where I help civil society and public sector organizations navigate the adoption of emerging technologies, balancing their usefulness with their dangers, helping folks understand them, and conducting pilots and building programs that integrate new technology with the original mission. Today in my job I do that with Artificial Intelligence, but for Red Cross in those early years I did it with social media.” Read more about Wendy in ARCAN Featured Alumni story on her. Bring your questions to the Webinar! Register here |
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New for February - Free Webinars for Nonprofits. Webinars include a variety of topics for people working in the nonprofit sector, curated by Wild Apricot and free to members. Access them via ARCAN’s Resource Library. |
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January Webinar Recording Available – Dr. Jeff McCullough and David Therkelsen
At the ARCAN webinar, Jeff and Dave shared fascinating stories of the history and scientific advancements of blood transfusions and donations from their new book, “How Transfusion Moved from the Margins to the Mainstream of Medicine, from World War II to the Pandemic.” See the recording now at this link. Use passcode: Obd7v$Fb |
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First Communicators Happy Hour
Generations of alumni Red Cross Communicators and Public Affairs workers reconnected last week at the first Communicators Happy Hour. The group reminisced with funny (in hindsight) memories and lessons learned and shared about ventures since leaving Red Cross. From authoring books to launching nonprofits, this group continues to make a positive impact on our world. ARCAN Communications and Marketing chair Neal Gorman led the virtual Happy Hour and promised to make it a regular gathering for the colleagues, so stay tuned!! |
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ICRC On Gaza: The long road home
With the implementation of a ceasefire agreement, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have begun a journey back to their homes – or what is left of them.
Many are now seeing for themselves the significant parts of the Gaza Strip that have been left in ruins: gaping holes, destroyed homes and piles of rubble that have made neighborhoods unrecognizable. Read the full story |
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ICRC vehicles pictured in Gaza in January 2025. PHOTO: Saeed Jaras/Middle East Images/AFP
ICRC facilitates safe transfer of 24 hostages and 1100 detainees
ICRC continues to assist in the hostage and detainee release. As we went to press, six phases of release operations had been carried out by the ICRC in a little over two weeks, facilitating the safe transfer of 24 hostages out of Gaza to Israel, and 1100 Palestinian detainees from Israeli places of detention to Gaza and the West Bank.
During release operations, ICRC staff, including doctors, are on-hand to provide medical care and other support as needed. Pre-departure interviews are also carried out with detainees to assess their health and fitness for travel.
The ICRC is prepared to facilitate further release operations as a humanitarian intermediary in the coming days and weeks. The ceasefire agreement must hold so that more release operations can take place, and more aid can enter Gaza. Learn more about the role of the ICRC in these operations here. Also, find upcoming courses on International Humanitarian Law. For registration links to February and March IHL webinars and discussions, see the ARCAN Events webpage. |
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Red Cross helping wildfire survivors will continue to offer support for weeks and months to come
As we moved into February, the two massive fires that destroyed more than 16,000 structures in California had been fully contained, but for those impacted, recovery is just beginning. The American Red Cross is working around the clock to support them, and alongside our partners, Red Cross will continue to be there for weeks and months to come. Personal stories of loss and those beginning the difficult steps toward recovery can be found here. |
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Red Cross helping around the world Millions of people in countries across the globe are experiencing devastating disasters that have taken their homes, their livelihoods, and tragically for some, their loved ones. This International Services Activity Update provides a snapshot of significant international disasters that the American Red Cross is currently monitoring or responding to. |
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American Red Cross Welcomes President Donald Trump as Honorary Chairman
In January, the American Red Cross welcomed President Donald Trump as the organization’s honorary chairman, a tradition all U.S. presidents have followed since 1913. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was the first sitting president to serve in this Red Cross position, establishing a tradition followed by all subsequent presidents. That title was changed to honorary chairman in 1947.As honorary chair, the President’s signature is on the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit National Lifesaving Award, the organization’s highest award for people who have used the skills they learned in Red Cross courses to help save or sustain a life. |
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Steve Bullock featured in "A Movement of Excellence: Black Trailblazers Who Forged Red Cross Legacy"
This Black History Month, American Red Cross is honoring a legacy of African American trailblazers who shattered ceilings and transformed its mission through groundbreaking service. ARCAN member, Steve Bullock, was a transformative executive leader served the Red Cross from 1962 to 1999, rising from assistant field director to become the organization's first African American national acting president. During his tenure, Steve expanded disaster relief and healthcare services in Black and Latino communities, established regional branches in diverse D.C. neighborhoods, and led international relief efforts.
As Greater Cleveland's regional CEO, Steve oversaw the launch of Operation Save-A-Life in partnership with the City of Cleveland Fire Services, providing free smoke alarms to residents—a program that became the model for the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign.
See all those featured |
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Grants and Venture Capital Opportunities for Black entrepreneurs
By Karen Doyle, HISCOX
Starting a business isn’t easy or cheap. Financing your business dream can be the most challenging part. There are many options, but the best one is grants – infusions of cash that you don’t have to pay back. There are many grants available - here’s what we found to support Black-owned small businesses. Read the full story on the ARCAN website Advancement page. |
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Should you move your parents into your home?
5 questions to ask before sharing a home with your loved ones
By Bonnie Rochman, AARP
If you’re beginning to wonder if your parents are safe living on their own — perhaps you’ve noticed they are having trouble driving or taking care of themselves — you’re not alone. Half of Americans over 50 are caregivers and the majority of them are looking after their parents according to the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Health Aging. Though most of us want to age in our own homes, AARPs “The Journey of Aging” report finds that more Americans than ever are sharing homes: 67 million adults over 18 live in a multi-generation house, a 272 percent increase over the last decade.
If you are considering whether your parent should move in with you or whether you should move in with your parent — you first need to have a candid conversation about the needs, preferences and concerns of everyone involved.
Read the full article on the ARCAN Wellness Blog |
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PerkSpot extends its discounts on travel, language learning, memberships, clothing and more to ARCAN members. Enjoy your benefits! |
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American Red Cross Alumni Network PO BOX 21004 | Washington, DC 20009
E-mail: info@redcrossalumni.org | Tel: 202.303.8779 Website: RedCrossAlumni.org |
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