By: Kara Witsoe, American Red Cross Volunteer

Leah Sumpter’s schedule is packed. She’s a devoted stay-at-home mom, proud military spouse of an Army chaplain and dedicated student at Washington State University Global. Yet she still finds time to help the Red Cross. 

Leah serves as the organization’s volunteer lead at Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which is home to Army and Air Force units. She found a perfect fit that combines her desire to help other military families with her skills and career ambitions.  

“At the time I made the decision to volunteer, I was taking a break from my studies. I sought the opportunity to explore various career options while pursuing a path in the medical field,” she said. “My major is in psychology, but I also have an interest in medical administration. I believed that volunteering would provide valuable experience to explore these fields while contributing to meaningful work.”  

Leah shares her career experience, knowledge, and skills with the Service to Armed Forces (SAF) department of the Red Cross, which provides many critical services for members of the military and their families.  She supports and trains new volunteers, updates records, and collaborates with administrators. She’s adding new networking, multitasking, and computer program proficiencies to her resume in addition to honing her communication and management skills.

Besides gaining new professional experience, her time helping others has affected her profoundly.  

“Volunteering provides me with a deep sense of fulfillment and purpose. It allows me to give back to the community in a meaningful way. As a stay-at-home mom, it also provides much-needed social interaction and has helped me build a support network,” she shared. “It’s offered me valuable opportunities to develop both hard and soft skills relevant to my future career, which has significantly boosted my self-esteem and confidence. It’s given me purpose.”  

As she reflects on her experience, Leah hopes her kids discover their own interests in humanitarian work as they grow older.   

“By volunteering at the Red Cross, I want to teach my children compassion, community, and the importance of action. It’s about showing them that empathy means not just understanding others’ struggles but stepping up to help, while also highlighting the power of unity in creating change,” she shared. “Ultimately, I hope they learn that service enriches both the lives of those we help and our own, instilling lessons of humility, gratitude, and lifelong learning.” 

Leah’s dedication to the organization will stretch beyond the Northwest to the South this spring, as she’ll work remotely after her family moves to Texas for her husband’s next military posting. A new leader is now needed at the hospital to fill her role, as well as friendly information desk and patient escort helpers.

Email Northwest Region Program Specialist Mariana Bellinger at mariana.bellinger@redcross.org to learn more about opportunities to help military families at Madigan Medical Center.