Hinchey Honored by American Red Cross with 2023 Legislator of the Year Award

ALBANY, NY – The American Red Cross Eastern New York this week presented State Senator Michelle Hinchey with the esteemed 2023 Legislator of the Year Award for her commitment to supporting emergency services in New York State and the organization’s mission to build more resilient communities.

“I’ve been incredibly proud to partner with the American Red Cross to keep our Hudson Valley communities safe, prepared, and well-cared for in the face of emergencies and life-threatening situations, and I am honored to be recognized as one of their 2023 New York State Legislators of the Year,” Senator Hinchey said. “The Red Cross has been a tremendous partner in our work to respond to and recover from severe weather, help solve a national blood shortage, and proactively ensure our smaller and more rural communities are informed on how to stay safe in times of crisis. I thank the Red Cross for this great honor and for the lifesaving work they do in New York. I look forward to continuing our partnership in support of communities across the Hudson Valley.”

Kevin Coffey, CEO of American Red Cross Eastern New York Region said, “During her tenure, Senator Hinchey has worked hand in hand with the Red Cross throughout her district.  About a year ago, we partnered with her during an active shelter operation after the ice storm in Ulster County. She then quickly became a preparedness champion, partnering to help build resiliency in communities by bringing our preparedness programs and support of our veterans and military families throughout the Hudson Valley. We couldn’t be prouder to recognize Senator Hinchey for her invaluable and ongoing service.”

John Vale, Hudson Valley New York Chapter of the American Red Cross said, “I am so happy to honor Senator Michelle Hinchey as our Legislator of the Year. Senator Hinchey's support of our communities in the Hudson Valley is an inspiration to all those who serve the public good.”

Senator Hinchey has long supported the work of the American Red Cross and has partnered with the organization to help upstate communities during natural disasters, most recently the Ulster County Ice Storm during which she helped spearhead the creation of emergency shelters across the county. Hinchey and the Red Cross have also collaborated on community blood drives, including at the height of the national blood shortage in 2022, and have delivered free community trainings to educate residents on the safety measures that can be taken to protect loved ones and neighbors when severe weather strikes.

A leading advocate in the State Senate for health equity and emergency preparedness, Senator Hinchey has sponsored several pieces of legislation to expand lifesaving health services in New York, including legislation to create the Rural Ambulance Services Task Force, which will study the challenges rural ambulance services face and dedicate more research to finding long-term solutions that will help stabilize them. Another bill championed by Hinchey allows medivac helicopters and responders to airlift blood and administer transfusions to trauma patients in the field.

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