06/16/2026
Not all heroes wear capes, but some wear Red Cross vests.
You won’t always see them, but they’re there when it matters most. That’s why we’re kicking off , to shine a light on the volunteers who answer the call in the middle of the night, stand beside families after they’ve lost everything, and turn compassion into action when it matters most.
❤️ Meet Matthew Mahoney—one volunteer, countless ways of showing up.
Some volunteers choose a path. Matthew built his own.
Since starting as a youth volunteer in 2014, Matthew has grown into a leader whose impact reaches across Disaster Cycle Services, Volunteer Services, and youth leadership development. He responds to disasters as a Supervisor of the Disaster Action Team, helping ensure families are supported in some of the most difficult moments of their lives. He’s also served in roles supporting disaster spiritual care, sheltering, feeding, and the distribution of emergency supplies; stepping in wherever he’s needed most.
But what sets Matthew apart isn’t just the number of roles he’s taken on, it’s how he thinks about service. He understands that helping families in crisis doesn’t start when we arrive on scene. It starts long before, in the relationships we build, the systems we strengthen, and the people we prepare.
Behind the scenes, Matthew invests just as much energy into the mission; mentoring volunteers, strengthening teams, and helping build a more connected, ready response force. Because of that work, when disasters happen, help reaches families faster and more effectively.
Across Southern California, Matthew is someone people count on, not because of one title, but because he’s willing to step into any role to make sure the mission moves forward
Because of him, more families are connected to support when they need it most and more volunteers are ready to answer the call.
👏 Thank you, Matthew, for showing what it truly means to serve without limits.
You can be part of this work, too. Find out more in the comments
