Next Tuesday, April 26, 12:15 p.m., at Calogero’s Resturant, 919 Franklin Avenue, the Mineloa-Garden City Rotary Club will welcome Debbie Gibbons, regional recruitment manager, American Red Cross.  Debbie will speak about her many roles and of the missions of this non-profit humanitarian organization.

Always on the ground to help the needy, the mission of the American Red Cross is to “prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.”

The Red Cross responds to approximately 7 emergencies and disasters a day across the region which include home fires, floods building collapses and more.  It provides shelter, food, clothing and emotional support at no cost to those in need.

With needs on the ground in Ukraine remaining critical, the Red Cross has reached more than 750,000 people with live-saving aid both within Ukraine and neighboring countries and has donated 10 million dollars for Ukraine crisis relief.

Currently, as American Red Cross regional recruitment manager, Debbie Gibbons’ career had started in distribution as a buyer.  She had been a director of inventory management for a global company accumulating many accolades along the way.  But, after 26 years, her mindset altered and she decided to pivot to non-profit, looking at work in volunteering simply as “the right thing to do!”

In the past 10 years, Debbie Gibbons has played many roles at the American Red Cross – from building partnerships to connecting volunteers to the mission of the Red Cross and serving as the regional volunteer services officer many times over.

As volunteer manager, Debbie is experienced in working across functional and geographic boundaries to ensure appropriate levels of adult and youth recruitment.  Her engagement efforts support disaster response and day-to-day requirements within the Greater New York Region which serves 11 million people in New York City, on Long Island, in Rockland and Westchester Counties; at West Point and at Greenwich Connecticut

Debbie Gibbons is also the co-chair of Long Island Voluntary Organizations.  She has been recognized as an amazing administrator, is active in the Disaster Volunteer Committee and is acknowledged as knowing the “ins and outs” of emergency management.  Debbie has been honored by the NAPW (National Association of Professional Women) and received the American Red Cross Employee Recognition Award in 2015.

To hear Debbie Gibbons’ talk and to enjoy a great Calogero’s lunch of choice (fee: $35), please reserve by emailing Diane Marmann, Club president, at Diane.Marmann@gmail.com.