By: Chloe Li

For DJ Seawell, a 12-year Air Force veteran, service has always been more than a commitment — it is a calling. From his early days in Southern California to his current work in New York City, his lifelong dedication to volunteering has given him a profound understanding of what it means to serve the community.

“Community serving has been in my DNA since I was in high school,” DJ said. “I’ve always thought that it was an important part of what I do.”

DJ grew up in the Greater Los Angeles area, where he served in the Civil Air Patrol in high school and later the Air Force from 1997 to 2009. As a Civil Air Patrol cadet, he first encountered the Red Cross during the Northridge earthquake as he helped support the Red Cross as they provided meals to impacted communities.

Many years later, he and his wife Christina moved to Rochester, where they became increasingly drawn to volunteering together at the Red Cross. Eventually, their work brought them to the Bronx and New York City, where they enjoy visiting museums and taking Zeus, their Staffordshire terrier puppy, for walks in Central Park.

The skills DJ developed during 12 years in the military — time management, calm under pressure, teamwork, and comfort within structured command — translated seamlessly into his volunteer work with the Red Cross.

“I’m very thankful to those experiences and that training that I had very early on in my life as a young man to give me those core competencies that translate well to what we do day-to-day in the Red Cross,” DJ said.

Now working in a leadership role at a multinational food service company, DJ still finds time to give time to help people affected by disasters. On Thursday and Friday evenings, he typically volunteers at the Emergency Communications Center (ECC), drawn by the center’s complexity and constant opportunities to learn on the job. The ECC functions as a nerve center of the Red Cross in Greater New York, fielding calls from people who need help and keeping track of how responders are working at disaster scenes.

“ECC work is a good way for me to really learn the nuts and bolts of the disaster service portion of the Red Cross,” DJ said. “I get to see and interact with all the different pieces of disaster operations, from fires that happen multiple times a day, which is our typical call in the ECC, to larger disasters.”

When their schedules allow, DJ and Christina, who works as a case manager with a social services nonprofit, like to volunteer together — often helping alongside one another with mass care roles, such as supporting residents who have been displaced by disasters at a shelter or reception center.

“Being able to volunteer with Christina is fun because it really helps the work go by faster,” DJ said. “My wife’s like my best friend, so anytime I get to hang out with her is always a good time.”

Put on a red vest and join DJ, Christina, and thousands of other Red Cross volunteers. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to find a role that fits you and your schedule.