By Bethany Bray Patterson, communications director, Red Cross of the National Capital and Greater Chesapeake Region 

Recovering from a disaster can be a long and difficult road, and sometimes, the critical first step on the journey is finding connection. 

That’s where the Red Cross does its best work, says Essie Hopkins, a disaster response volunteer from Prince George’s County, Maryland who has deployed to help after hurricanes, floods and other disasters across the country. 

“We help rebuild people. It’s some of the most gratifying work I’ve ever done,” she says. “This work is touching lives. The Red Cross does everything it can to help people.” 

Essie says she finds herself at home in this work. Connecting with people and making them feel heard is what draws her to deploy over and over again. 

“I try and put smiles on people’s faces and let them know that even though they are experiencing trauma and disaster, there’s always a will and a way,” Essie says. “I love it because I'm a people person. When I am talking with people who are hurting, I treat them with respect and approach [conversations] with a spirit of helping, encouragement and hope.” 

Essie first saw the impact of the Red Cross mission when she was working for the Prince George’s County School District, and one of its buildings was used as a shelter for residents displaced by a large fire. The care the residents received at that shelter made such an impression on Essie that she knew she wanted to volunteer with the Red Cross after she retired, she says. 

Now, as a volunteer, Essie often works in Red Cross shelters when she deploys. She tries to connect with each person in her shelter, and uses the intake process, as people check in, to express kindness and assess their needs. 

She says she still thinks about all the people she’s met and talked with while deployed – they have each made an imprint on her life. 

“Volunteering with Red Cross disaster relief can be a beautiful thing for someone who is a people person and has a heart for serving others," she says.

“Deploying is all what you make of it –  you need to be versatile, have an open mind, learn [from the experience] and take everything as a gift,” Essie says. “You’re not there for yourself, you’re there for the clients ... It’s a blessing, all around.”