Volunteer Profile - Bahman Naraghi

Written by: Kelly Norman, volunteer

One of the great things about the American Red Cross is that it is an organization whose mission touches every state and there are volunteers all across the country. One of the local Red Cross volunteers, Bahman Naraghi, originally began volunteering with the Red Cross in Columbus, Ohio in 2012.  He was interested in humanitarian efforts and disaster relief and knew the Red Cross would be a great way to get involved.

When he moved to DC to pursue a new job, he did not let that interrupt his volunteering. Now as a volunteer in the National Capital region in Montgomery County, Bahman does a variety of things: provides disaster relief services as a member of the Disaster Action Team (DAT), helps at the warehouse, and assists with large-scale DC events like the Fourth of July.

“Working with the Red Cross has given me the ability to do many interesting things, like driving a forklift. It’s exciting to try out new things,” explained Bahman.  He also shared how much he values the friendships he has made with other volunteers.

Bahman shared a recent story of how he responded to a fire with the Red Cross DAT on one of the coldest days of winter. The residents’ furnace had malfunctioned and the fire was thankfully put quickly out. Bahman made sure the displaced residents had blankets, food, and a temporary shelter.

Bahman works full time as a Program Officer at FHI 360, an international development agency, and volunteers on the weekend. I think it speaks volumes of Bahman’s character that he spends his free weekends giving back to his community.  Thank you Bahman for all that you do!