Laura Song, a VA resident, decided to volunteer with the American Red Cross after she saw the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. As many others were similarly inspired to volunteer at that time, the Red Cross volunteer connections website crashed due to the overwhelming response. Undeterred, Laura visited the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region Headquarters in Fairfax, VA.
The same day she visited the headquarters, other people came to offer their services too. Four new volunteers were put together into a newly created group to thank recent donors for their financial contributions to hurricane relief efforts. Within a week and a half, they thanked 30,000 donors by phone, personal emails or handwritten cards. They came up with the name "the gratitude gang" to describe their collective Red Cross role.
Laura found the experience of thanking people very fulfilling, and donors were touched to receive thanks from the Red Cross. Many donors said that they wished they could do more to help those suffering from the devastation caused by the hurricanes. The gratitude gang was so successful that several other Red Cross chapters across the nation will employ the same initiative.
Laura’s prior corporate management experience turned out to be well suited for a position that recently opened up in the Volunteer Services division of the Red Cross in the National Capital Region. Laura is now a Red Cross Volunteer Services Specialist, mainly focusing on volunteer engagement and helping facilitate outreach and recruitment of new volunteers.
Laura describes her new position as a very humbling and gratifying experience. She is learning more and more each day about Red Cross services in disaster relief, blood donation, assistance for the military, veterans and their families, training and certification, and international services. Laura always knew that helping others is her passion, but her new job has made her realize how much more she wants to do as a Red Cross employee.
The Red Cross currently has over 100 volunteer openings in the DMV area covering all aspects of Red Cross services. Learn More About Red Cross Volunteer opportunities.
Learn How Lazarus Integrated Red Cross Volunteer Experience Into His Professional Development.
Learn How Eric Found Volunteering With The Red Cross So Fulfilling, He Has Served For Almost 50 Years.
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