NEW YORK, September 18, 2020 – As a result of this active and destructive disaster season the American Red Cross is urgently seeking volunteers to join them to support communities from the Florida Panhandle to the Pacific Northwest to New York City and communities in between.
“Our hearts go out to all who are currently coping with the traumatic loss brought on by these emergencies,” said Mary Barneby, CEO, American Red Cross in Greater NY. “Red Cross teams are working hard to help after these relentless hurricanes and wildfires. We need more volunteers to ensure we can continue to help families during their time of need.”
As part of these efforts, the Greater NY Red Cross Region has deployed 29 relief workers (as of September 18) from this area to impacted parts of the country. More than a dozen more have supported these large-scale efforts virtually, from their homes in Greater NY.
Visit www.redcross.org/volunteertoday to sign up for the volunteer positions the Red Cross needs to fill urgently. These include roles staffing shelters, providing health support, delivering food and relief supplies and so much more.
Training, which is all virtual, includes rigorous safety protocols put in place to ensure the health and well-being of affected residents and Red Cross volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures include PPE, social distancing, health checks, and remote work when possible, just to name a few.
The work of the Red Cross is just beginning, as they will provide support for weeks to come. The devastation wrought by these disasters has been further compounded by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Dozens of deadly wildfires continue to rage at the same time out west, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate and consuming more than 5 million acres. Thousands of homes and businesses have been incinerated, thousands more are still threatened. Hurricane Laura left terrible devastation across Louisiana and east Texas and thousands of people are still depending on the Red Cross for emergency lodgings, food, water and other assistance. And more recently, Hurricane Sally made landfall as a powerful and slow-moving Category 2 storm. Sally brought catastrophic flooding to parts of Alabama and Florida as more than two feet of rain has already fallen in some areas. And the Red Cross is watching more named storms form in the Atlantic and several more weather disturbances that could strengthen and threaten the U.S. in the coming days.
In addition to joining as a volunteer, you can help by making a financial donation. Please donate to help now by visiting redcross.org, calling 800-RED-CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.
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 @RedCrossNY.
Michael de Vulpillieres
American Red Cross in Greater NY
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
646 345 2868