Eileen Rall, a Red Cross volunteer from Southeastern Pennsylvania, is on her second deployment to Fort Myers, Florida, since Hurricane Ian hit.

On Eileen’s first deployment just over two months ago, she conducted damage assessments on homes after Ian wreaked havoc on the community. Eileen says this deployment looks a little different for her, as she is working directly with people who are still in need of resources.

"When we got this opportunity to come down and actually talk to clients, I was thrilled to be able to do this. I was able to free up my schedule and come down for another two weeks,” said Eileen.

After working closely with partners to provide emergency shelter, food, water, relief supplies, emotional support and health services to people in need after Hurricane Ian, the Red Cross is now starting to get emergency assistance into the hands of Florida residents whose homes were severely impacted. Eileen is on the front lines of the new program, working tirelessly with her fellow Red Crossers to get resources to those who need them most.

"It has been so rewarding to be able to come and help these clients,” said Eileen.

Eileen assists people who are applying for the assistance program. She says that one man didn’t have transportation, so he found a ride to a Red Cross site in Fort Myers to apply. After a damage assessment was done on his home and Eileen learned the man qualified for assistance, she and her team came together to figure out a way to get it to him. Eileen and her colleague drove an hour together to him.

"He had tears in his eyes, he was so appreciative of the Red Cross and that we were able to work around his schedule and his mobility,” said Eileen.

Eileen says she and her team work from dawn until dark, trying to help as many people as they can. She says that the Red Cross cannot always give immediate assistance if damage to someone’s home hasn’t been assessed yet, but she and her team always follow up.

"These people have been going 60-plus days, so when we say, 'I can't give you assistance right now,' you can tell that breaks their heart a little bit. But it helps when we say, 'I'm going to keep track of you, I'm going to make sure the assessment gets done so we can get you the resources.'"

Eileen says she’s proud of her team and the work she is doing through the Red Cross, leaving the community with one important message:

"People in this community have a number of people in the Red Cross who are watching out for them,” said Eileen.

To find out more about volunteering with the Red Cross, visit redcross.org/SFLvolunteer.

Written by Saskia Lindsay, American Red Cross Public Affairs