Written by Guethshina Altena, American Red Cross Public Affairs

Hilary Feldman joined the American Red Cross as a Disaster Mental Health volunteer in July 2021, motivated by a desire to help people during the hardest moments of their lives. A licensed mental health professional, Hilary is dedicated to offering emotional support to individuals recovering from traumatic experiences, whether they’ve lost their home in a fire or been displaced by a man-made or natural disaster.

“Giving back to the community in some way and being able to help people in distress in real-time, and the community of the Red Cross is very important,” Hilary explained.

Hilary joined the Red Cross after one of the deadliest structural disasters in American history when the 12-story Champlain Towers South Condominium collapsed in Surfside, Florida.

“I lived in Surfside and was there at the time of the building collapse, which resulted in me becoming a Red Cross disaster mental health worker. Through that experience, I understood more deeply the importance of community and working with local individuals to help with recovery,” Hilary said.

Now, Hilary volunteers virtually and is on call for about two days a month. From her home, she works with disaster survivors by making follow-up phone calls to check on their emotional well-being. She also shares resources for ongoing counseling. 

People who have been impacted by disasters can receive mental support from the Red Cross in the weeks following a disaster. During that time, the work of mental health volunteers is to “help reduce the occurrence of PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]. It focuses on active listening and emotional support, addressing concerns, supporting coping strategies and problem solving, as well as making appropriate mental health referrals,” Hilary explained.

One of Hilary’s most memorable experiences was helping a mother who had lost everything in a fire. “She had several children, was also pregnant and had lost everything in the fire. I was offering her support and trying to help her connect to services and what she could do to get some longer-term housing. She was very appreciative,” Hilary shared.

Hilary takes pride in the work that she does at the Red Cross and emphasizes the rewarding aspect of helping people in need.

Survivors of disasters often experience a wide range of emotions and challenges in the aftermath of a tragedy. Anxiety, fear, shock, guilt and anger are just a few of the most common things that the survivors struggle with. Having someone who listens and can understand what they are going through can make a tremendous difference in a person’s life.

Annually, the Red Cross responds to more than 65,000 disasters, from home fires, wildfires, hurricanes and tornadoes, so Disaster Mental Health volunteers are crucial in providing comfort and support to survivors, guiding them through feelings of loss and helping them begin to heal.

“Sometimes, we are dealing with people individually, like in the fires particularly. In terms of hurricanes, it becomes a much larger response. We go into the shelters and do checkups with everybody there – survivors and volunteers alike,” Hilary said.

To meet the needs of disaster survivors, Red Cross Disaster Mental Health volunteers are licensed health professionals trained to provide emotional first aid and emergency mental health support. Despite the intensity of the cases that Hilary manages monthly, she finds ways to take care of her own mental well-being.

“I believe in self-care very much. I am a swimmer. I swim every day. I walk a lot. I have a good support system. I have friends, family and a husband that I count on to help me,” Hilary said.

Hilary has worked in the mental health field for a long time. Over the years, she has relied on her training and learned to compartmentalize her work and her personal life to be in a place to support others in emotional distress.

Looking back on her journey, Hilary highly recommends that other licensed mental health professionals consider becoming a Red Cross Mental Health volunteer. For this role, training is provided and most of the work can be done virtually from the comfort of one’s home.

“I would say it is extraordinarily rewarding and you really feel that you are giving back to people and your community,” Hilary said.

If you’re a licensed mental health professional, consider joining the American Red Cross and supporting people in times of need. Visit redcross.org/SFLvolunteer to learn more.