Stephanie Dunn Ashley
As 2025 came to a close, two devastating fires in our area reminded me just how remarkable the human spirit can be when times are tough. Before dawn on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, as most people slept, a team of American Red Cross volunteers from our local chapter mobilized alongside the greater Mount Vernon community to help more than 240 residents displaced by a devastating five-alarm apartment fire. A few weeks later, a fire on Byfield Lane right here in Greenwich led to a groundswell of community support to help a family who had just lost their home.
On display each time was an exemplary demonstration of human kindness. People selflessly stepped forward to help others during their time of need, all motivated by the same desire to help. As we make our resolutions for 2026, let’s channel this generous spirit and resolve to give back to our community. There are so many meaningful ways to do so, no matter what your background is or what you enjoy doing.
One powerful way to start the new year is by helping people who rely on donated blood and platelets, including cancer patients and individuals experiencing traumatic injuries. As a blood donor myself, I can attest to how easy and comfortable it is to give right here in town at the Jill and John Coyle Blood Donor Center. A whole blood donation typically takes less than an hour from check-in to snack time. Platelet donations take a bit longer but make an enormous difference for patients undergoing chemotherapy and others. The center is open six days a week with evening and weekend hours, and appointments can be scheduled at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.
If you aren’t able to donate blood — or want to help more often than the 56-day wait between whole blood donations — we also welcome volunteers to serve as Blood Donor Ambassadors. These volunteers greet donors with a warm smile, assist with check-in and offer heartfelt thanks afterward. If you enjoy connecting with people, this is a wonderful role.
You can also volunteer to help people prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters both big and small. There are roles for every interest and skill set. Disaster Action Team members provide calm, compassionate support to families facing emergencies like home fires. Logistics volunteers can help organize and distribute emergency supplies in affected communities. Casework volunteers can support shelter residents as they plan their next steps and begin their recovery. Every role makes an impact.
No matter who you are or what inspires you, January is a natural moment to consider how we can better ourselves and support our community. Follow your joy — whether with the Red Cross, your local fire department or EMS, at a school, or alongside seniors. Small gestures of kindness mean so much, whether after a disaster, during an emergency or on an ordinary afternoon.
So, as we begin 2026, let’s commit to one meaningful resolution together: let’s resolve to volunteer.
Stephanie has worked and volunteered in the nonprofit sector in Greenwich for over twenty years. Her current role as CEO of the MNYN chapter of the American Red Cross began in March 2020. Stephanie overseas Westchester and Rockland Counties in New York, the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, and Greenwich, Connecticut for all lines of service of the Red Cross.
