Volunteers With Disabilities

Programs   |   Profiles   |   Resources |   Disability Task Force

No Limits in Site

Volunteer dispatcher Megan Smock has responded to more than 500 disasters, but she's never actually been to one. Working mainly on nights and weekends, she guides other American Red Cross volunteers to the scene when earthquakes, fires, floods and explosions strike Orange County (Calif).

Legally blind, Smock hasn't let poor sight dim her dedication to disaster-response work -- though it has interfered with her sleep. For years after joining the Red Cross in 1992, she was the only after-hours dispatcher, receiving up to five calls a night. Now Smock is getting more shuteye. She's been promoted to "team leader," and calls are rotated among her and five others.

Smock's efforts to help disaster victims caught the eye of her employer, the J.C. Penney Company, where Smock is a receptionist. She was recognized recently with the James Cash Penny Award for Community Service, a national honor that included another prize: $10,000 for her Red Cross chapter.

"When you have a disability, you decided whether you want to live your life in joy or in sorrow," said Smock. "I chose joy."