As we start the new year, the American Red Cross is asking members of our community to help people in need by becoming a volunteer! Volunteers make up 90% of the Red Cross workforce and make the organization's mission possible.

You may be surprised to learn about the variety of volunteer opportunities the Red Cross has to offer. From supporting a family after a home fire, helping a member of the military during an emergency or ensuring that blood is available to those who need it, the Red Cross has something for everyone.

Below are some of the most needed volunteer positions right now in Southeastern Pennsylvania:

⛑️ Disaster Action Team Specialist - Be a source of refuge and support when it’s needed most.Disaster Action Team responders provide 24-hour immediate support and assistance to individuals and families who have been impacted by home fires or other local disasters.

📱 Disaster Action Team Duty Officer - Make a difference from the comfort of your own home! Duty Officers help families after home fires and other disasters by dispatching Disaster Action Team volunteers who provide essentials like shelter, food and clothing.

🩺 Disaster Health Services Team Member - Put your professional credentials to work! We're looking for licensed healthcare providers to deliver hands-on care and education to people impacted by disasters. 

👩‍💻 Shelter Resident Transition Caseworker - Help families take the next step after a disaster. When large disasters strike, SRT volunteers work with shelter residents to identify resources, overcome roadblocks, and create personalized action plans that help families move toward a more sustainable living solution.

🩸 Blood Transportation Specialist - Help deliver blood from our collection sites throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey to our lab in Philadelphia for testing and processing and/or to deliver blood products from our lab to hospitals. 

🇺🇸 Service to the Armed Forces Reconnection Workshop Facilitator - Lead workshops that help service members and their loved ones strengthen emotional wellbeing. Must be a licensed mental health professional.

🎖️ Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service Volunteer - Contribute to programs that improve veterans’ quality of life at VA health care facilities in Philadelphia and Coatesville.

🗺️ Restoring Family Links Volunteer - Help identify and provide outreach to communities that might benefit from reconnection services for families separated by conflict, immigration, natural disaster, or other humanitarian crisis.

To learn more about these roles and to fill out a volunteer application, visit redcross.org/volunteer.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.