By: Jason Kazarian
 

When Sujitha Rathinavelu woke up Tuesday morning, she had no idea that the American Red Cross would ask her to volunteer at a pop-up shelter at the Haws Athletic Center in Fort Worth, where the night before, a six-alarm fire displaced over 800 residents at The Cooper Apartments.

Rathinavelu had no prior experience working in a Red Cross shelter. She typically volunteers as a Salesforce data analyst with the organization’s fund development team — a role she describes as “just a desk job.” Fortunately, she was met by Tabara Ndoye, a veteran deployment volunteer who has responded to more than 20 disasters.

Victoria Armstrong, who has served on more than 30 deployments, later joined the team to provide disaster health services. Together, the trio reviewed a list of displaced residents, ensuring each person had food and a safe place to stay for the night.

Ndoye volunteers to give back. As a young girl in Senegal, she received lifesaving services from the International Red Cross. Rathinavelu is similarly motivated, regularly packing food for a local nonprofit in addition to her data work. Armstrong, of Rhome, Texas, began volunteering after Hurricane Harvey. She was named the North Texas Region’s 2022 Volunteer of the Year for her “amazing personality and her time spent volunteering.”

The North Texas Region, especially the Metro West Chapter, expressed gratitude for volunteers like Armstrong, Ndoye and Rathinavelu, who provide comfort to survivors in times of disaster.

Every Red Cross disaster response is led by trained volunteers, available to respond 24/7, 365 days a year. Whether it's providing emotional support, meeting emergency needs for shelter and supplies, or connecting families with recovery services—Red Cross volunteers ensure no one faces crises alone.

If you have been affected by the Cooper Apartment Fire, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) for assistance. You can also become a volunteer and be there for your local community by visiting redcross.org/volunteer.