By Marisa Pohl – Red Cross communications volunteer
“It’s important to always remember those who serve. That’s why we get to live the way we live now.”
Brenda Foley is a U.S. Air Force veteran, who served in the military as a pediatric doctor for 11 years, and now devotes her time to volunteering for the American Red Cross.
Foley said she has long known about Red Cross’ outreach efforts, especially after disasters. “I remember Hurricane Katrina because we used to live in Mississippi when I was in the military,” she said. “We have good friends that were significantly impacted by Hurricane Katrina, that we met through the military, and I remember how involved the Red Cross was there.”
That connection between military service and humanitarian support stayed with her after retirement. “I need to be busy,” Foley said. “I like to help people.”
She became interested in volunteering with the Red Cross after seeing news coverage of the organization’s involvement in support efforts following Hurricane Helene. Upon retiring, she decided to take the next step.
“I thought sheltering and feeding would be very helpful because you meet with people, and you help them during a difficult time with a skill that's somewhat easy to do, talking with people, meeting people, giving them comfort and providing food.”
Foley’s first Red Cross deployment took her to Kentucky to assist after severe weather. She noted that the experience had a bit of a learning curve, but that she and her team learned by doing.
Later, she deployed to Winnipeg, Canada, to help care for displaced Indigenous people in a large congregate shelter. “I met some unbelievable people,” Foley said, referring both to “community members and Red Cross volunteers.”
Foley related both experiences to her earlier work in the military, where she served as an active-duty pediatrician, including three months in Cuba during Operation Sea Signal.
She recalled that during her service in Cuba, she took care of migrants displaced not by natural disaster, but by a human disaster. “That was where I thought I did my best as a pediatrician: in the military and as a military officer,” she added.
After joining the Red Cross, Foley discovered the Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) program and found it aligned with the same mission she carried out in the Air Force. “Supporting military vets and military personnel is very important, even though we live in a community that doesn't have as many active-duty people,” she said. “That's what I did in the military. I supported families of active-duty members who were deploying or working or stressed out.”
Each year, the Red Cross assists more than 220,000 military and veteran families by leveraging a network of volunteers across the country and around the world. The Red Cross helps members of the military, veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors prepare for, cope with and respond to the challenges of military service, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Her time as a pediatrician shaped that perspective. “My job was to make sure that the service members did not have to worry that their family was being taken care of, whether they were home or whether they were deployed,” she said. Foley added that was a very important aspect of keeping active-duty members healthy and focused on their jobs.
Through the Hero Care Network, the Red Cross connects service members, veterans and their families to free and confidential assistance any day, any time. This includes emergency communication messages, financial assistance, critical community services and more.
Foley said she noticed similarities between the Red Cross and the Air Force, and that she found familiar camaraderie among other veterans who volunteer. “The similarities are interesting. I didn't realize how much the Red Cross is set up like I remember the military infrastructure,” she said. “You need to have people very well trained and on the same wavelength.”
One of Foley’s most memorable volunteer moments came when she joined an Honor Flight walk, where she accompanied veterans visiting national memorials. She said seeing everyone come together was deeply moving and that seeing fellow veterans’ emotions during the welcome home left a lasting impression on her.
“It was very moving,” Foley said. “It was unbelievably touching. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Foley said the Red Cross draws many veterans who share the same motivation to serve others. “Whether you want to do Service to the Armed Forces, or Disaster Cycle Services, there's a lot of military people in there,” she said. “People that are interested in you as a person and elevating your skills as an individual to work for the common good.”
She said that commitment feels familiar from her years in uniform and that the Red Cross offers many ways to get involved. “There’s a lot of opportunities, and you can do as much or as little as you want,” she said. “There’s different facets that you can work with and find what works best for you.”
Red Cross volunteers help respond to an average of about 65,000 disasters every year. Put on a red vest and join us. Visit redcross.org/volunteerNNE to find out how you can support your community.
Support all the urgent humanitarian needs of the American Red Cross.
Find a drive and schedule a blood donation appointment today.
Your time and talent can make a real difference in people’s lives. Discover the role that's right for you and join us today!
