Media Contact: Sherry Nicholson
ATLANTA, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2020 — Georgia’s Red Cross has supported military and veteran communities for more than 100 years. With Veterans Day approaching on Wednesday, November 11th, the Red Cross is also proud to acknowledge the contributions that U.S. veterans make through our organization – including hundreds of Georgia volunteers and employees – in service to communities here and nationwide.
Veteran volunteers like Cobb County resident Amy Stevens, a licensed professional counselor, are applying their unique, professional skills in a variety of ways.
A U.S. Navy veteran with 11 years of active duty and four years in the reserves (1979-1994), Amy’s transition to civilian life in metro Atlanta included second careers with both the Georgia Department of Labor as a Job Corps Project Manager and, later, as Director of the Psychological Health Program for the Georgia National Guard.
Along the way, Amy began volunteering with the Red Cross Disaster Action Team, helped lead Disaster Mental Health efforts around the Hurricane Katrina response in Georgia, and continues to deploy in this capacity for relief operations across the country.
“You’ll find that when they become civilians, lots of veterans are led to do other things of service, like the Red Cross,” said Amy. “I think it’s because the concept of ‘selfless service’ is such a big part of military life.”
Amy recently completed training to become a Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) Resiliency Workshop leader. In this role, she will help lead-free mental health workshops for service members, veterans, and their families that offer a chance to connect with others, discuss concerns, and learn and practice new skills. With the help of volunteers like Amy, the Red Cross continues to support veterans throughout the current pandemic with a variety of programs that help combat feelings of isolation:
Virtual Resiliency workshops for military and veteran communities include a COVID-19 specific course to manage stress during this trying time. NOTE: FREE online workshops on Stress Solutions are also open to the public on Veterans Day (11-11-20) at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Register today!
The Military and Veteran Caregiver Network is a community focused on helping caregivers of injured military and veterans. Since the onset of COVID-19, the MVCN’s online community has seen exponential growth.
Due to COVID-19, our Hero Care workers are now remotely answering emergency calls 24/7 to assist separated military families, who can connect with the Hero Care Network by calling 877-272-7337 or by downloading the free Hero Care App, available in English and Spanish.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Many Red Cross volunteers and employees are veterans who continue to support their communities after their active duty service ends, from nurses to logisticians, emergency management experts, project managers, and preparedness experts, as well as a number of veterans in leadership roles at local Red Cross chapters across the country. Others serve in Veterans Administration (VA) and military hospitals in such areas as rehabilitation, recreation, administration, and personal services to the men and women who are now cared for each day in these facilities. To learn more about how you can give back to your community this Veterans Day, visit redcross.org/volunteer.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds, and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.