Maria Gonzalez’s job as an American Red Cross risk reduction coordinator for Cameron County can be summed up in a story about a forklift. The forklift in question was owned by a local food bank that used it to unload heavy pallets of food that weekly help feed 5,500 people. Unfortunately, the food bank’s forklift was broken, which meant the food could not be unloaded and distributed. This is where Maria stepped in, helping to get the necessary funding to buy a new one so the food bank could keep the distribution of food going to families in need. She says that’s what a risk reduction coordinator does, “essentially creating a safety net for the community so when disaster comes, the community stakeholders are better able to respond.”

              Gonzalez came to the Red Cross in January 2024 after serving eight years as an elementary and secondary school English literature teacher. She grew up in the Rio Grande Valley and graduated with a degree in English with a minor in psychology from the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley. Raised by her grandparents in neighboring Hidalgo County, Maria is familiar with the people of the region and the challenges they face.

              “I go out into the community and create partnerships with local nonprofits and faith-based organizations to help better prepare them so that the community can bounce back faster after disasters,” Gonzalez said. “It’s just amazing to me to see how one item, such as a forklift, can impact so many lives.”