American Red Cross volunteers have a diverse spectrum of interests, talents and abilities, and the goal of our Volunteer Services team is to get each volunteer into a role they enjoy, where they can shine while doing something they find rewarding.

For the past few years at the Red Cross Biomedical building in Philadelphia, there’s a group of neurodiverse volunteers – people who fall on the autism spectrum or whose thoughts or behavior processing is considered “atypical” – that contribute to the Red Cross mission every day.

Unique to the Philadelphia region, the grassroots program got its start when Red Cross Supplies and Kitting Supervisor Brian Carey, in coordination with Volunteer Services Senior Recruiter Ned Bloom, invited neurodiverse students from the Philadelphia School District to volunteer in the kitting area. Kitting is the department where materials are counted and packed for each mobile blood drive.

A self-described special needs advocate, Brain started the program with one student. It has since grown to 20. Each student works with a dedicated teacher or aide from their school to prepare non-regulated supplies like adhesive bandages, baggies, rubber bands and trash bags that are included in the kits for each blood drive.

As the program grew, Brian reconfigured his workspace to include a room with five tables solely devoted to the students’ kitting preparation activities. He describes his interest in promoting opportunities for special needs and neurodiverse people as “self-serving,” wanting to “leave something better” for his 5-year-old son Michael, who is on the autism spectrum.  

Brian is attuned to the needs of his volunteers. New students are often highly anxious when they start the program, but he encourages them with compassion and patience, respecting their individual boundaries and allowing them to work at their own pace and capabilities. He sees the struggles of students in the program, but he also sees the joy when they feel a sense of accomplishment in completing tasks.

Brian says that both the students and their teachers and aides enjoy interacting outside of the traditional classroom setting. And when the student volunteers relax, they often “rap and roll” supplies. Formerly quiet students sometimes become very talkative and enjoy the prep tasks in a social group atmosphere.

The whole initiative, he says, is a win-win. The students benefit from a meaningful learning experience, and the Red Cross benefits by the kitting work getting completed and by our volunteer base.

PHOTO: Brian Carey works with a student volunteer. Photo by Konrad Jones/American Red Cross

- Written by Maureen Zug