Jameriah Clark, Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas 

By Catie Ballenger, Red Cross, Public Affairs J

Jameriah Clark, a Disaster Program Specialist from the American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas, is “grateful to go where [she] is needed.”

Even though Jameriah was married in September, she knew she was needed in Florida after Hurricane Ian devastated much of the state. Jameriah is serving as a member of the staffing team, offering a smile and warm welcome to volunteers as they check in at the Disaster Response headquarters in Orlando. 

The Red Cross and our partners are working around the clock to comfort and support people facing the devastation left behind by one of the largest natural disasters ever to hit Florida. Behind the scenes, Jameriah and her teammates work tirelessly to receive and support Red Crossers, so they can focus on caring for those who were impacted by Ian. 

Jameriah excels at communication and building relationships, which makes her an ideal member of the staffing team. She knows how to be flexible and, in fact, loves the "dynamic nature" of the Red Cross. 

Thank you, Jameriah, for your dedication to the Red Cross mission and for sharing your infectious smile with everyone who walks in the door.  

Steve Hayfield, Red Cross of Eastern New York

By Stephanie Wessling, Red Cross of South Florida Public Affairs 

A week ago, as Hurricane Ian took aim for the southwest part of the state, Steve Hayfield from Centralia, Wa., raised his hand to help Floridians. He was packed and on a plane headed to Florida within a day. 

Steve, from the Northwest Region of the Red Cross, has been a Red Cross volunteer for over 29 years and a volunteer firefighter for 39 years. He has deployed to more than 30 disaster relief operations during his time with the Red Cross and was helping out with the wildfires in his home state before arriving in Florida. 

He said “compassion for his fellow humans” motivated him to join the Red Cross. He is a Disaster Action Team (DAT) member and supports many roles in the South Puget Sound and Olympics chapter.

“I’m available to help wherever they need me,” said Steve. 

Steve plans to be in Florida helping with Hurricane Ian efforts for at least eight weeks. He shares that he stays up to five weeks on deployments because he wants to be on the ground long enough to ensure that he has made an impact in the community after a disaster.

Steve was recently in Kentucky helping to transport supplies to shelters after the floods in August. After dropping off much-needed supplies, he stopped at the cafeteria for a quick lunch before returning to the road. He recalls that a young child, about four years old, ran up to his table and said, "Thank you!"

He responded, and she went on her way. A shelter worker later explained to Steve that the young child was going around saying thank you to everyone for her pajamas. It was the first time she had ever worn new clothes, and she was so grateful. It was a profoundly emotional moment for Steve. As Steve sat with a group of five other volunteers at the Fort Myers Red Cross Chapter swapping deployment stories, he smiled and told the group, “My wife warned me, before she passed, that she would haunt me” if he stopped responding to DAT calls.  

Tanya Garrity, American Red Cross of Kentucky 

By Duhane, Lindo, Red Cross of Central Florida 

As many Floridians are displaced due to Hurricane Ian, one woman from Louisville, Kentucky, has dropped everything to help those impacted by the storm. Tanya Garrity, a Red Cross shelter lead volunteer, arrived in Florida this past Sunday and immediately went to work at an evacuation shelter about 45 minutes north of Orlando in Leesburg, Florida. 

"The people we were there to serve were amazing," said Garrity.  

"If that means a head on a shoulder, hand you a tissue or walk a dog….I'll do it."  

Overall, Garrity and hundreds of trained disaster workers assisted more than 33,000 people in American Red Cross and partner shelters while the hurricane passed. This job is not new for Garrity. She has volunteered for 31 years and deployed numerous times for the Red Cross.

Garrity spent nine weeks off and on assisting the victims of the Eastern Kentucky flooding back in July of this year. Last year, she helped victims of the Western Kentucky tornadoes. The next few days will be focused on getting supplies around the state and sheltering. For Garrity, she is focused on her next task of sheltering families who have been displaced from their homes. She says in addition to hot meals and medical help, she tries to impact the clients positively as best she can. 

"When you look back, it wasn't as bad as you thought it would be," said Garrity.

"You made it out with the most important thing, your life, and we are here to help you to recover."   

Fred Lehman, Red Cross of Philadelphia 

By Stephanie Wessling, Red Cross of South Florida Public Affairs 

As Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida, Red Cross volunteers from all over the United States were deployed to provide disaster relief to the communities impacted by the storm.

Fred Lehman, a Philadelphia native arrived in Fort Myers, Florida on September 27 and plans to volunteer with the logistics team for at least three weeks. Fred and a team of volunteers are working to ensure much needed relief supplies reach the hardest-hit communities in southwest Florida. This is Lehman’s third deployment with the Red Cross since he joined the organization as a volunteer in January 2020.  After working as a volunteer firefighter for 25 years, Lehman was looking for new volunteer opportunities after retiring.

Last year, as a member of the Disaster Action Team with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter, Lehman responded to over 125 home fires. Lehman said he continues to volunteer because he really feels he is helping people and because he hopes he would have the help of others if he were ever in a similar situation. During his time as a Red Cross volunteer, Lehman finds that the people he encounters are always thankful for the help that the Red Cross provides.