Since Typhoon Mawar hit Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the islands have made significant progress, but more than 1,400 homes sustained major damage or were destroyed. With the help of our partners, the American Red Cross was able to provide life-sustaining services and resources across the islands.

One of those resources came in the form of volunteers. Dolores Pastrana, a long-time volunteer of Red Cross saw the devastation first-hand during her 3-week deployment in Guam. Despite having volunteered in the aftermath of other major disasters in the U.S. such as Hurricane Katrina, and recently with tornados in both Mississippi and Arkansas, she became emotional when talking about the devastation she saw in Guam. “There was a lot of destruction,” she recalls. “There was no running water, no AC and I saw a lot of people living in their cars because their homes were destroyed.”

The Red Cross opened shelters for families that lost their homes and provided free meals for those in need. Feeding those affected by disaster, both immediately and during recovery, is a core mission of the Red Cross.  When asked why she chose this deployment in Guam, Pastrana proudly replied, “It’s what we do! No matter where the disaster is, no matter the location, we turn compassion into action.” In this response, her specific assignment was to distribute emergency supplies which included tarps for roofs, coolers, flashlights, rakes and shovels. 

She stresses the importance of mental health after a disaster of this magnitude and points to licensed Red Cross mental health volunteers being there to help survivors cope emotionally. 

Dolores went on to share, “It makes me feel good knowing that I’m helping someone in need, helping a family in need, helping a community in need. You’re on a mission and your focus is on the people who need the help.”

“What really touched my heart and made me feel great and motivated every day is knowing that we made a difference,” said Pastrana. “Every day, every moment to put a smile on someone’s face and give them comfort. That’s our focus.”

You can help people affected by disasters like storms and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Financial donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

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