Everywhere we turn, we see new arrivals in red vests.  

Nearly 10,000 people in the Los Angeles area have enlisted as new American Red Cross volunteers in the past week, a staggering number. Connecting with many, what’s consistent is their desire to leverage a trusted organization to help their neighbors navigate the challenging journey toward recovery in the aftermath of the Southern California wildfires.  

These Disaster Event Based Volunteers (DEBVs) take shifts at local emergency shelters, serve meals and pitch in however they can. The demand for Red Cross volunteer shifts is extremely high, so much so that Amy McIntyre of Manhattan Beach told us it was akin to purchasing tickets to a Taylor Swift concert.  

“These slots, when [the Red Cross posts them online], they go so fast,” Amy said. “You need to refresh, refresh, refresh ... and snag the ones that appeal to you because they go fast.”  

Amy volunteered for her first shift on Tuesday at a Red Cross emergency shelter in West Los Angeles that is primarily serving people displaced by the Palisades fire. She’s also one-half of a certified pet therapy team with Buddy, her nearly 6-year-old English Cream Golden Retriever.

Amy and Buddy stopped by the Red Cross Disaster Relief headquarters in Central Los Angeles on Wednesday so Buddy could share snuggles, cuddles and smiles with Red Crossers who have been working 12-hour shifts for the past week. We’re happy to report that Buddy was gracious, loving and quite receptive to back pets and chin rubs.  

Roughly 1,600 locals – some new volunteers, some pre-existing – have worked at least one shift on this Red Cross California wildfires relief mission, the Workforce team told us.  

“It has been such a privilege to be able to give back when I know so many in my community are suffering, so I'm very grateful,” said Ashley Gate of Thousand Oaks, northwest of Malibu.  

The American Red Cross is in every community across the country and is structured to empower people to serve their communities by channeling the organization’s resources and expertise.   

Whether it’s installing free smoke alarms, coordinating logistics, teaching emergency preparedness to kids or adults or responding to a massive disaster like these wildfires, the Red Cross is always there for locals to plug in and turn compassion into action.  

It’s been an eye-opening and rewarding experience for Angelinos to give back through a trusted organization like the Red Cross, they’ve told us.   

At the Red Cross emergency shelter at Westwood Recreation Center, we met Louise Wallace, another new volunteer. Asked about her initial thoughts about the Red Cross since volunteering, Louise told us: "I always thought of the Red Cross as being very top-heavy. I always wondered where these donations actually went. This experience really gives me a new appreciation of what you do with those donations."  

Louise also said she’s excited for her next shift, when she will be a Red Cross ambassador at Los Angeles International Airport to welcome out-of-town Red Crossers who are arriving to help.   

Many who were not dramatically impacted by the wildfires had an inherent sense to do something positive for their neighbors.  

“I didn’t know what to do,” said Mary Jo Braun, a new Red Cross volunteer from Santa Monica. “Your friends are impacted. I can’t go visit them because they’re someplace else. You think, ‘What else can I do?’”  

Mary Jo completed her application, snagged a shift amid the mad dash online and was assigned to a Red Cross-supported shelter in Los Angeles for U.S. military veterans.   

“Part of the healing is giving,” Mary Jo said. “Right now, I’m seeing a tremendous amount of giving. Not only locally, but you guys coming from other places. ... That to me, my heart is so filled, knowing that. It’s pretty amazing. Why wouldn’t anyone want to be part of an organization like that?”