When Hurricane Ian made landfall on the southwest coast of Florida on September 28, 2022, the American Red Cross leaped into action providing shelter, warm meals, health and mental health services, and essential supplies, like clean-up kits, to meet the basic human needs of those affected. Ian, a Category 4 hurricane, was the third-costliest weather disaster on record and the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. Ian caused widespread damage across western Cuba and the southeast United States, especially the states of Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Year-round, the Red Cross prepares for and responds to the increasing frequency of massive disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and tornadoes. Up to two weeks before Ian made landfall, the Red Cross hurricane plans were already activated. Potential shelters were identified, volunteers were mobilized, emergency response vehicles were on the move, and essential supplies were stockpiled in warehouses around the state as the country watched Hurricane Ian approach Florida. Within 48 hours after impact, the Red Cross and partners were in some of the hardest-hit communities providing comfort and care as residents tried to process the disaster they had just experienced.

I had the opportunity to interview Zachary Stokes, the Regional Partnerships Manager for the South Florida Red Cross, and Reverend Gregory V. Gay, Sr., of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, to talk about the partnership between their two organizations and how they joined forces to help the individuals and families affected by this devastating disaster.

Zachary has been with the Red Cross for almost seven years and is originally from Oklahoma City, OK. Before working with the Red Cross, he volunteered in the Central and Southwest Oklahoma Chapter and served in AmeriCorps in the West Michigan Chapter. He eventually joined the Red Cross workforce and has held positions such as Disaster Program Specialist in the Nashville Chapter of the Tennessee Region and Senior Disaster Program Manager for the Kentucky Region. He now serves as Regional Partnerships Manager for the South Florida Red Cross. Zachary has deployed to disasters several times over the years, including to major operations such as the 2016 Baton Rouge Floods, Nashville Tornado, Eastern Kentucky Floods, the Quad-State Tornadoes (specifically in Kentucky), and Hurricane Ian.

Reverend Gregory V. Gay, Sr. is a native of Plant City, Florida. After graduating from Plant City High School, Rev. Gay enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served ten years as a Soldier, a Cobra Attack Helicopter Mechanic/Crew Chief & W01 Warrant Officer. He is the founder of Mt. Sinai AME Church in Medulla, the builder of Allen Chapel AME Church in Plant City, the mortgage liquidator of St. John AME Church in South Miami, and he currently serves the Mt. Olive AME Church in Tampa. He has ministered for over 30 years in the AME Church. While in South Miami, he served as the Police Department Chaplain, the Director of the Wounded Healer’s Organization, the Director of the South Florida Rights Restoration Program, and is the founder and past President of the Concerned Clergy and Citizens Coalition. He also served as the Secretary of the South Miami Free Pediatric Clinic Board and worked as a Community Representative for the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. He currently serves as the 11th Episcopal District Disaster Relief Coordinator.

How and when did the partnership start?

Zachary: We partner with the AME Church year-round, not just during disasters. There is a national agreement with the AME Church where Red Cross regions and chapters connect with local AME churches on all kinds of partnership opportunities, especially around Mass Care and Preparedness Education. I do not remember who got the conversation started, but it is (relatively) standard to set up coordination calls with partner organizations during significant events such as Hurricane Ian. Rev. Gay and our new Disaster Division Director, Eric Corliss, had previously worked with one another in the Central Florida Region on other partnership projects.

Rev. Gay: The AME Church has had the longest-tenured relationship with the Red Cross than any

African American Church in the United States.

How did the AME Church collaborate with the Red Cross after Hurricane Ian?

Zachary: The AME Church provided the Red Cross with situational awareness through their church network as well as locations for distributing emergency supplies and feeding. Rev. Gay and the AME Church also supported communication efforts around our financial assistance programs and helped with finding potential site locations within the faith-based community. 

Rev. Gay: The Red Cross has always been a leader in disasters. We reached out to the leadership and established a relationship. Smyther Fallen, Eric Corliss, and Zachary Stokes were all instrumental in providing resources. Without their help, maybe some of the underserved communities wouldn’t have gotten a quick response. Because of the resources that the Red Cross provided, the churches were able to connect with the affected communities and assist with food distribution, some limited supplies, and with spiritual care.

Why is the partnership with the Red Cross important?

Zachary: It is extremely important because of the leadership, work, and connection within many communities around Florida and the U.S., especially in the African American community.

Rev. Gay: The partnership is important because of the far-reaching hand of volunteers, resources, and the availability of partners. When a disaster occurs, people need immediate assistance, and the Red Cross has demonstrated for well over 100 years their dedicated service to humanity.

How is the community doing after Hurricane Ian?

Zachary: As far as I know, the community is doing well, but it is still a long road to recovery.  

Rev. Gay: Because of the collaboration with other organizations along with the Red Cross, the

communities are recovering slowly but positively.

Is it an ongoing partnership? Has there been additional collaboration since Ian?

Zachary:  It is ongoing, and we are in talks about partnership opportunities both in and out of disasters.

Rev. Gay: Yes, there is an ongoing partnership. We have had conversations with the leadership of the

Red Cross on what we can do better.

What does the future look like for the Red Cross and AME Church partnership?

Zachary: I believe the future is to build off of our partnership established in Ian to better prepare communities around Florida and build upon our already established coordination and cooperation in different areas, especially during the response phase of a disaster operation.

Rev. Gay: Our partnership with the Red Cross will grow stronger as the years go by. The AME Church will reach out to the Red Cross for more volunteer training as well as food and shelter services in the future.

Why are partnerships with local organizations important to the Red Cross?

Zachary: Local organizations provide access and communication lines into different communities because they are often leaders or well-established as a beacon of support in a community. This is especially true in underserved populations. The Red Cross relies on our local partners to deliver our services and resources to communities affected by disasters. They provide connections, locations, and communication that the Red Cross vitally needs.

How do these partnerships support the mission of the Red Cross?

Zachary: Not only do these partnerships provide the Red Cross with locations to conduct service delivery, but organizations like the AME Church also provide the Red Cross with situational awareness, trust, and better access to communities that need the most help after a disaster. Without the AME Church and other organizations active in the community, valuable resources and time would be wasted trying to find communities impacted by disasters.

To learn more about the Red Cross response to Hurricane Ian, visit redcross.org/Ian.

Written by Bret Hollander, American Red Cross Public Affairs