By Kim Mailes
If you want to see the future of the American Red Cross, take a look at Julio Arroyo. Just 22-years-old, he already has several disaster deployments under his belt, and he is currently assigned to the California wildfire disaster relief operation as a shelter associate at the Red Cross emergency center in Cameron Park, CA.
Residents of that shelter have been forced from their homes by the Caldor wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Sacramento. A volunteer, Julio is committed to a two-week assignment and is working 12-hour days to keep the operation running smoothly.
But it’s not all work and no play. When fellow volunteers went looking for him the other day, they found him playing soccer with Spanish speaking children who discovered—to their delight—that he speaks their language. Julio just has a way of connecting with people.
During his brief but busy Red Cross career, he served in New Orleans after Hurricanes Laura and Delta, and in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, after extensive flooding there.
Because he speaks Spanish, Julio also deployed to sheltering operations in Dallas and El Paso for unaccompanied immigrant minors. Those experiences were especially rewarding, because the children saw him as a safe and comforting presence in the midst of uncertainty.
Julio is also part of the Missouri-Arkansas Region Disaster Action Team. DAT teams are rapid responders to house fires in their local area, providing temporary lodging and emergency funding to families driven from their homes in times of emergency.
When interviewed for this story while serving in California, Julio was late for the fall semester back home at the university. But all of his classes are online except one, and he has a special agreement with the instructor about that one.
“When I explained my work with the Red Cross, the professor said I’d learn more about emergency management by actually doing the work than I would in the classroom. He said we can work it all out when I get back.”
Julio’s career goal is to become a professional emergency manager, either with the Red Cross or with FEMA. That dream is what motivated him to begin volunteering during his freshman year of college.
“Ever since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be an emergency manager. When I found out about the Red Cross and the training they offer, it seemed like the perfect way to put lessons I learn in the classroom into action.”
Because retirees typically make up a good portion of the Red Cross volunteer workforce, it’s especially satisfying to see such a young man get so involved. He brings a fresh, youthful presence that appeals to both his fellow volunteers and to those they serve.
And if Julio Arroyo is any indication of what the future of the Red Cross looks like, the organization is in good hands.