The American Red Cross of the St. Paul Area: Proud of the Past and Focused on the Future

The American Red Cross of the St. Paul (Minnesota) Area responds to the needs of a diverse community with quality and compassion. The St. Paul Area Red Cross touches the lives of hundreds-of-thousands of people in four counties in the East Metro Area of the Twin Cities. The chapter provides a variety of traditional programs and innovative community services.

Helping At-Risk Youth Achieve Success
Making a difference in the lives of young people ages 13-18, the Red Cross Youth Job Readiness program combines one school quarter of coursework with an internship or community service project.

Through career-related presentations and multicultural career workshops, participants are encouraged to expand their vision for themselves and for their futures. Experience has shown that Youth Job Readiness participants gain self-esteem and are more likely to complete their high school education. Students receive valuable adult mentorships, insight into the world of work, and the necessary tools to bridge their school experience with future educational and career goals. Upon successful completion of the program, each student receives a $100 stipend from the American Red Cross and course credit towards graduation.

One such student is J., a 15-year-old who loves computers and other technology. J. was a chronic runaway, and seemed to change friends and relationships like others change shoes. J. signed-up for Job Readiness one quarter and dropped it only a couple of weeks before completing the program, declaring that he didn't need the program.

The next quarter, he signed up for the class again, this time completing up to ten hours of community service, but still falling short of completing the program. Later that quarter, J. ran from school and home leaving his teachers, parents, and probation officer to wonder what would become of him. After voluntarily returning to school, J. signed-up again for Job Readiness. This time, he not only finished all required assignments, but was the only student from his school that quarter completing an entire internship by working for a local organization's information systems department. J. not only earned his credit and full stipend, but he kept himself connected and is on the right path toward successfully graduating from school.

"I have only been in my job a few months, but I have come to realize the importance of things that most of us take for granted when trying to support ourselves and our families" said Jodi Metz, Youth Job Readiness Specialist for the St. Paul Area Red Cross. "Finding employment is a very small part of helping someone prepare for the world of work. There are barriers to employment out there that seem impossible to climb for many people, and without Youth Job Readiness many of our students would continue to be left behind."

Since 1992, the Youth Job Readiness program has worked successfully with organizations and alternative learning programs in the St. Paul Area like Guadalupe Alternative Programs, LEAP English Academy, Humboldt Middle School After School Options Program, El Rio Vista Recreational Center, Neighborhood House, and Torre de San Miguel. Last year 452 young people received training in Red Cross Youth Job Readiness.

Language Bank Breaks Communication Barriers
Keeping pace with our changing and increasingly diverse communities, the St. Paul Area Red Cross is developing a new and exciting initiative. A Language Bank, comprised of volunteers fluent in a variety of languages, is capable of providing 24-hour interpretation and translation services for those in need of Red Cross emergency social services. Currently, 58 volunteers registered with the Language Bank represent 40 different languages.

Language Bank volunteers participate in a number of ways. They translate and interpret for those affected by disasters, helping to determine how the Red Cross can best help them. Language volunteers also help international tracing clients, reconnecting families torn apart by war, civil strife and disasters that strike other countries. Language volunteers are also available for Health and Safety Education program presentations, and for translating Red Cross fact sheets and brochures.

"As the immigrant populations in our service area continue to increase, we will see a rising need for interpreters and translators," said Vandana Davis, Red Cross International Services Specialist. "The Language Bank helps us to bridge communications and reach out to all of our neighbors needing Red Cross services."

Other Services Reach Out to the Elderly and the Distressed
The St. Paul Area Chapter offers a unique Emergency Social Services program that involves professionals who provide counseling and referrals for such issues as family violence, child abuse and neglect, foster placements, vulnerable adult protection, drug and alcohol abuse, suicide intervention, and emotional trauma. Another program, crisis response, meets the emergency needs of families whose children may be facing inappropriate out of home placement. Professional crisis workers go into homes, at the request of law enforcement officials, and help families cope with immediate crises so children can remain at home. Last year alone, the St. Paul Area Chapter handled nearly 7,200 Crisis Response Cases.

Also last year, through Transportation Services, the St. Paul Area Red Cross provided more than 43,000 rides with the help of 65 volunteer and five paid drivers, a fleet of 11 passenger sedans and six lift-equipped vans, and a computerized scheduling program.

Red Cross volunteer drivers provide door-to-door service to seniors and those having disabilities that prevent them from operating a vehicle. Many East Metro residents rely on Red Cross drivers for transportation to medical appointments. The Red Cross Transportation program vehicles are familiar sites to St. Paul Area commuters.

For more information on any of these and other Community Services programs offered by the American Red Cross of the St. Paul Area, call (651) 291-6789.