By Alexis Quevedo/American Red Cross

When disasters claim lives, the devastation does not end when the immediate danger passes. Families are left grieving the loss of loved ones while facing a cascade of urgent decisions and unanswered questions. Funeral arrangements must be made. Insurance claims need to be filed. Important documents may be missing. Some families are searching for loved ones who remain unaccounted for.

During some of the darkest days of their lives, families often find themselves trying to navigate overwhelming loss and complex practical challenges at the same time. To help meet these needs, the American Red Cross Integrated Care and Condolence Team (ICCT) provides specialized support for families who have lost a loved one, have a critically injured family member or are searching for someone who remains missing after a disaster.

The multidisciplinary team brings together recovery caseworkers, disaster mental health volunteers, nurses and spiritual care providers who work together to support families long after the immediate disaster response has ended.

For Angela Albright, a Disaster Mental Health volunteer who has served on the team for three years, emotional support is often the starting point.

Before each visit, team members connect with families to better understand their circumstances and identify immediate needs. During visits, volunteers create space for families to share memories, talk about their grief and discuss ways of coping with the days ahead.

"We meet them where they are in their grief and remind them that they don't have to go through it alone Albright said.

While emotional support is a critical part of the team's work, families often need assistance with practical concerns as well. Team members may help connect families with counseling services, replace important documents, navigate insurance questions, access financial assistance or locate community resources.

Jackie Recendez, a nurse practitioner and ICCT volunteer, says many families are struggling to process their loss while managing responsibilities that cannot wait.

"Sometimes they need help organizing what comes next. Sometimes they simply need someone who will truly listen," Recendez shared.

No two families experience loss in the same way. Before every visit, team members meet to review available information, discuss potential needs and coordinate their approach. By bringing together volunteers with different areas of expertise, the team can provide comprehensive support through a single point of contact.

For Peter Giannini, a recovery caseworker who has volunteered with ICCT for seven years, that coordinated support can be especially important during a time when grief affects nearly every aspect of daily life.

Whether they are helping a family navigate paperwork, connecting them with resources or sitting quietly and listening as a loved one is remembered, ICCT volunteers provide support when families are facing profound loss and uncertainty.

Through care, connection and collaboration, the team helps ensure families do not have to navigate that journey alone. For support from the Red Cross Care and Condolence Team, visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The team is available to provide guidance, resources and compassionate support for individuals and families coping with loss or navigating the aftermath of a disaster.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.