To commemorate Black History Month, the Red Cross is celebrating team members and how they’re making a difference to the mission.

Tamisha Naylor has been volunteering with the American Red Cross in Flint for more than four years. In that role she responds home fires, installs smoke alarms, trains students on emergency preparedness and much more. That experience came in handy when a fire broke out in her own apartment building.

“I’d been volunteering with the Red Cross for two years when there was a fire in my building,” Naylor said. “I was lucky to get out.”

Naylor’s apartment was destroyed by the fire, as were several of her neighbor’s units. When the Red Cross responded to the scene, Naylor joined the team to provide comfort and care to her neighbors.

“The Red Cross helps people when they need help, and that’s what I like to do – so that’s what I did,” Naylor said.

Naylor is part of the Red Cross Disaster Action Team in her area. These teams respond to home fires and other disasters and provide immediate assistance, comfort and care to people impacted in their communities.

“People are grateful that we’re there to help, to make sure that they know about fire safety or just hazard safety in general,” Naylor said. “I just want to teach more people about how to be prepared, and that if a situation should arise, they can do something about it.”

Naylor said her volunteer work makes her feel more compassion and empathy for others. Naylor says that helping people helps her, too.

“Even if you’re having a bad day, just helping someone and making them smile will make you happy,” Naylor said.

“Whatever age you are, whatever creed – we are all here for the same reasons. We are all dedicated to helping individuals. If you are the type of person who wants to help people, the American Red Cross is the place to be.”

To learn more about volunteering with the Red Cross of Michigan, visit redcross.org/volunteer.