Red Cross Consolidates Across Region; Local Chapters to Remain Open

By Desiree Parker Saturday, August 20, 2011

The Red Cross has consolidated eight of its Virginia chapters – including the Historic Triangle chapters – into a newly formed American Red Cross Coastal Virginia Region under the leadership of one executive director.

The new regional Red Cross serves 1.8 million people in 31 Southeastern Virginia communities, including Williamsburg, James City County and York County. The York-Poquoson Chapter and the Colonial Virginia Chapter offices will all remain open and staffed with volunteers, according to a Red Cross spokesman. The former executive directors, however, have retired.

“The new regional alignment is part of a nationwide Red Cross restructuring effort,” according to a Red Cross press release issued this week. “It unites a network of eight Red Cross chapters in the area and forms a more streamlined, efficient operation which builds on the capacity to support and respond to the needs of our communities while making the most effective use of donated dollars.”

In April, WYDaily shared the funding struggles of the Colonial Virginia chapter, which had been relying on hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding from other regional chapters to continue operations (read the previous story here).

At the time, Public Support Coordinator Jeri Campana said the local chapter was beyond the crisis point and expected to be taken over by the regional group.

Cindy Jackson, a San Diego native with 21 years of nonprofit management experience, is the new executive director for the American Red Cross Coastal Virginia Region. Jackson has 17 years of experience with Red Cross chapter operations and CEO positions in the Midwest and the West Coast.

Jackson will have a major role in building support for the Red Cross mission by advancing community outreach and philanthropy efforts, according to the press release. She moved from Idaho to Hampton Roads for the position.