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Husband, Wife Pitch In to Assist Diverse Community Hit By Flooding
Elizabeth Long, Special to RedCross.org
Monday, April 30, 2007 — Patrick Campbell is not one to sit by and watch while other people are suffering. A full-time student and new Red Cross volunteer, Patrick was one class shy of being a disaster action team member. But when flooding ravaged the community of Bound Brook, N.J., Patrick contacted the American Red Cross and offered to help.
Red Cross volunteers Adriana and Patrick Campbell assisted Nor’easter disaster victims at a shelter in North Branch, New Jersey.
(Photo credit: Elizabeth Long)
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At first Patrick drove a box truck. On one particular day he helped out at a Red Cross shelter in North Branch. “I did everything from food services to playing with the little kids to trying to find churches that would come and visit the residents,” he explained.
The shelter in North Branch presented a special challenge to Red Cross volunteers – the majority of the residents speak only Spanish, and shelter staff had trouble communicating with some of them. So Patrick asked his wife, Adriana, to volunteer as a translator at the shelter.
A Spanish teacher who grew up in a bi-lingual home, Adriana said the experience has been very rewarding for her. “I think people find it very comforting that someone speaks their language, can understand how they are feeling and what they are going through,” she said. “I think it helps them have more confidence. I have gotten a lot of positive reaction from the residents.”
Both Patrick and Adriana plan to continue volunteering with the Red Cross. Patrick plans to stay in the disaster response business with a long-term goal of earning a master’s degree in public administration and emergency disaster management.
“There are people who watch the news and say ‘that’s horrible’ and then turn off the TV and forget about it,” Patrick said. “But I have to do something. When I’m volunteering, I feel better because at least I know I’m helping to change things for the better.”
Adriana added, “Using my talents to help others is very fulfilling. I would like to continue to be helpful to people affected by disasters.”
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.
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