My Red Cross Volunteer Story: Naimisha Mehta

Written by: Rosalind SE Carney, volunteer

Helping Volunteers Find Their Niche at the Red Cross: Naimisha’s Story as a Volunteer Screener

The reasons why someone becomes a volunteer at the American Red Cross are diverse and often very meaningful personally. Someone who received immediate financial and accommodation assistance after a house fire may decide “the time is right” to give back. Retired nurses and occupational therapists, or students studying physical therapy, may decide to dedicate their time to Walter Reed or Fort Belvoir. But how do potential volunteers find the right fit to match their experience and interests?

Naimisha Mehta became a Volunteer Screener for the National Capital Region Fairfax office in May 2017. With a background in international relations and education, Naimisha had prior volunteer experience as a teacher in a Mumbai orphanage and as an event planner and fundraiser at a women’s crisis center in Texas.

As a Volunteer Screener, Naimisha plays an important role in ensuring that the time a potential volunteer is willing to give to the Red Cross is used in a mutually beneficial manner. Applications are reviewed by a Volunteer Screener who matches applications with open positions. Once a potential match is found, Naimisha speaks to the candidate on the phone and then refers the application to the relevant department. Working from home for 5-10 hours a week, Naimisha will typically process about 15 applications every fortnight.

In this role, Naimisha has gained experience in new professional areas, such as the use of a client management system, interview and people skills, and even negotiation skills. She speaks with people young and old, people focused on one particular area of the Red Cross, or those willing to follow her recommendation. To be effective, Naimisha needs in-depth knowledge of all Red Cross activities. To this end, Volunteer Screeners are invited to monthly meetings, lunches, and field-trips to view firsthand the work of the Red Cross. 

During her experience over the past few months, Naimisha has been routinely told how people did not realize the extent to which the Red Cross helps their local communities. Some people were inspired by their interactions with Red Cross volunteers at various local events and then decided they want to help out, too. As for Naimisha, finding the right position for volunteers and seeing how excited they are to make their own contribution is an extremely rewarding process.

 Interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at the Red Cross? Take our “What Kind of Volunteer Are You” quiz.