Red Cross honors volunteers who serve during crisis

SAN DIEGO – National Volunteer Week is April 19-25, and the American Red Cross of San Diego and Imperial counties honors its volunteers who are helping people in need, even during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emergencies don’t stop, and neither do local Red Cross volunteers, who are still providing care and comfort after disasters of all sizes, including floods and home fires. Since January, local Red Cross volunteers have helped over 360 people affected by these crises, providing care and comfort for those in need.

Due to this coronavirus outbreak, volunteers are providing relief services after home fires virtually, in coordination with local fire departments. Connecting with families by phone or video calls, Red Cross volunteers are helping to provide support through lodging, health and mental health services, emergency financial assistance and referrals to additional recovery services. 

In San Diego and Imperial counties, more than 2,000 people volunteer with the Red Cross by providing emergency assistance to military families, responding to home fires in the middle of the night, supporting blood collections, teaching other lifesaving skills through CPR and first aid classes and so much more. These individuals are also among the more than 300,000 volunteers who comprise more than 90% of the national Red Cross workforce.

“Red Cross volunteers keep our community strong. We thank each volunteer for their dedication to preventing and alleviating human suffering in the face of emergencies,” Sean Mahoney, CEO of the Red Cross Southern California Region, said. “The Red Cross could not exist without them.”

In 2019, local Red Cross volunteers provided food, shelter, comfort and hope to 471 families affected by home fires and other disasters in San Diego and Imperial counties.

Become a volunteer.

The need for volunteers is constant and continues to evolve as the Red Cross navigates this coronavirus health crisis. Volunteer opportunities include supporting blood donations and delivering much-needed disaster services to the community. There is also a wide variety of volunteer-from-home opportunities available. Find out more.

Interested in serving? Everyone’s safety is top priority. Review Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for people who are at higher risk for severe illness, consult a health care provider and follow local guidance.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the public to perform its mission.

The Red Cross Southern California Region serves San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties. In addition to carrying out disaster preparedness and response programs, blood collection, health and safety training, international services programs and supporting the military community, the Southern California Region provides nutritional counseling through its Women, Infants and Children program in San Diego and helps communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters through its Prepare SoCal and Prepare San Diego initiatives.

For more information, visit https://www.redcross.org or https://www.cruzrojaamericana.org.

Submitted by American Red Cross.