Red Cross: Urgent need for disaster shelter volunteers

The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania is issuing an urgent appeal for volunteers who are willing to travel this fall to support emergency shelters for major national disaster relief efforts.

 

Interested volunteers are urged to sign up today at redcross.org/volunteer. All candidates must complete necessary training and be able to commit to a two-week deployment. Applicants who don’t have disaster experience, but have supervision, management or organization skills; a strong desire to help others; and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, are encouraged to apply.

 

“When disasters upend lives, Red Cross volunteers are on the frontlines providing refuge and comfort to people in their darkest hours,” said Jorge Martinez, CEO, American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania. “They truly are the heart and soul of the Red Cross — comprising 90% of our workforce — to help ensure families never face a crisis alone.”

 

In emergency shelters, Red Cross disaster volunteers provide people with a safe place to stay, necessities like food and water, and critical services like mental health support and basic health services such as replacing lost medications or medical equipment. 

 

Volunteers are also needed here at home to support the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania’s daily services such as responding to home fires and flooding as a Disaster Action Team member, helping donors at blood drives as a Blood Donor Ambassador and supporting local military members, veterans and their families through our Service to the Armed Forces program.

 

RED CROSS MOBILIZES MASSIVE RESPONSE TO HELENE More than 1,000 Red Cross disaster responders are on the ground across 10 states devastated by Hurricane Helene in the Southeast, including hard-hit North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. So far, more than 30 volunteers from the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania have been deployed to the Hurricane Helene disaster relief operation.

 

Our work to support affected communities has just begun and already with the support of our partners, the Red Cross has provided tens of thousands of overnight shelter stays, meals and snacks. Red Cross emergency response vehicles have been deployed from all over the country, including several from our Pennsylvania fleet, to distribute meals, water and critical relief supplies in some of the hardest-hit areas that are accessible.

 

CLIMATE CRISIS THREATS CONTINUE Hurricane season is far from over — and the threat of more storms looms now in the Gulf and Atlantic oceans. What’s more, the Southwest and California are forecast to have above-normal wildfire risk this fall. As the climate crisis worsens, disasters are becoming more intense and frequent — leading the Red Cross to respond on a nearly continuous basis. 

 

HOW TO HELP Beyond becoming a Red Cross volunteer, people can help in other ways following Helene:

 

• DONATE FINANCIALLY: Financial donations are the quickest and fastest way to get help to people who need it. Visit redcross.org or text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation to help people affected by Hurricane Helene. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. 
• GIVE BLOOD: Hurricane Helene has caused more than 2,500 blood donations to go uncollected in the Southeast — yet the need for blood remains constant for patients in need. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to schedule a blood donation appointment now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or using the Blood Donor App to help restock the shelves.

 

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. Follow the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.