Red Cross Recruits New Volunteers Through Virtual Open House

By Laura Cantagallo, American Red Cross Volunteer

With COVID-19 bringing an end to in-person meetings, the American Red Cross has adopted virtual communication platforms to recruit new volunteers for their five lines of services: Disaster, Blood Services, Training Services (health and safety), International, and Service to the Armed Forces (SAF). Red Cross volunteers make-up 90% of the Red Cross workforce and respond to more than 60,000 disasters a year – they are the backbone of this humanitarian organization.

The American Red Cross of the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region conducted a virtual open house on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, July 14, led by the Red Cross Volunteer Services recruitment team made up of Kristi Giles, Nanveet Prasad, and Sheleasa Omogbai – all who represent different parts of Maryland, Virginia and Delaware – and included several esteemed guest speakers. Prospective volunteers were given a virtual guided tour of the Red Cross and its history, principles and unique mission, and a look at the all-encompassing list of volunteer opportunities offered to those seeking a way to give back to their communities. 

Pictured clockwise from top:
Shawn Felder, Kristi Giles, and Sheleasa Omogbai 

Some of the volunteers the team is currently recruiting for include volunteers for Disaster Services, Blood Services, and Service to the Armed Forces.

Disaster volunteers can explore several roles: preparedness team members educate communities on self-reliance and personal resilience in the face of disaster, how to respond efficiently, and how to cope after the disaster has occurred. Recovery team members help those affected by disasters begin the road to recovery with initial assistance (food, clothing, shelter), casework, and identification of local, state, and even federal resources for which they may be eligible. 

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. The Red Cross is committed to providing our nation with a safe and plentiful blood supply, putting blood services volunteers at the very core of the Red Cross operation, especially during this global health crisis. 

This unit is made up of over 25,000 volunteers and all blood is currently being tested for COVID-19 antibodies, and convalescent plasma products are also being collected and distributed treat seriously ill COVID-19 patients. Blood Services is looking for Blood Donor Screeners, Ambassadors, and Transportation Specialists at all of the nine blood donation centers in our region, including locations in Washington, D.C., Rockville, Lutherville, Frederick, and Baltimore, Maryland, and Fairfax, Virginia. You can see where they are all here.

There are even opportunities for younger volunteers! The event-based volunteer position for the Blood Donor Screener is open to those 15 and older who seek to contribute to a blood drive by temperature screening donors. Volunteers can sign up for 4-5 hour shifts anywhere across the region.

The American Red Cross was born on the battlefield. Our founder, Clara Barton, first delivered aid and comfort to Union soldiers during the Civil War. Today, the Red Cross continues this proud tradition through the SAF program that comprises several different volunteer opportunities to support those serving our country and their families. There are over 1,000 SAF volunteers spread throughout medical hospitals around the region, as well as volunteers at the Pentagon and Naval Academy. SAF caseworkers provide virtual assistance to help meet military family’s needs when someone is deployed, or when they are experiencing hardship. Caseworkers make initial contact to assess needs, follow up calls, and provide other services to make sure these families are receiving the essential aid they need. 

So, how has an almost completely hands-on volunteer program changed and adapted in 2020 due to the Coronavirus? 

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“COVID doesn’t stop us, it only changes how we do it,”

- Shawn Felder, Red Cross Disaster Program Manager

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The recruitment team touched on this in the meeting, explaining all the precautions and safety measures that are being taken to ensure the safety of the people we serve in the community and volunteers, all while still being able to give a hand and help those who desperately need Red Cross services. 

“Trainings are all virtual online; some are self-paced modules that you work through and complete,” says Kristi Giles, Senior Recruitment Specialist for the Central Maryland Chapter regarding how volunteers are given training for their duties. 

Red Cross relief also includes financial assistance and mental and spiritual health assistance, provided by volunteers virtually and by phone, done by our Disaster Action Team (DAT). Red Cross members have been reaching those affected by disaster via email, video, and text, practicing social distancing, encouraging touchless distribution of client assistance cards, and wearing masks and gloves.

Disaster Action Teams continue to serve disaster-affected communities and offer help around the clock to clients. 

Another virtual need the Red Cross is currently looking for is recruitment team members. This includes recruiting volunteers for our five lines of service and promoting volunteer opportunities on social media platforms – all virtually.

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“We can’t do our job without the help of our volunteers;
they’re the most valuable part of our job.”

- Nanveet Prasad, Recruitment Specialist for the Red Cross 

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Giles adds, “We hope that people feel that it’s a rewarding experience and we hope our volunteers understand the impact they’re making in people’s lives.”

If you’re ready to join us and become a Red Cross volunteer, an upcoming virtual open house is scheduled for August 20, 2020 from 10:00-11:00 AM on Microsoft Teams. 

Prospective volunteers can also apply online at www.redcross.org/volunteer and take a quiz to see what opportunities are available, and which would best fit their skill-set and hours of availability. 

My IN THE BAG Red Cross Story: Alyce Phinney

Written by: Rose Ellen O’Connor, volunteer

On a spring morning two years ago, Alyce Phinney was waiting for the school bus at an Alexandria bus stop when she heard a neighbor’s house had caught fire. After loading her two boys on the bus, she drove to the neighbor’s house to see if she could help and ended up taking the family’s little girl to school. It seemed firetrucks were everywhere at the scene and the family looked distraught. They carried what they could gather from the house in garbage bags.

Alyce was proud, but not surprised, to see the Red Cross there. Every eight minutes the organization responds to a house fire. Red Crossers arranged lodging for the family, calmly told family members what they needed to do, and offered blankets and toiletry bags. Alyce was on her way that morning to a kick-off meeting for the upcoming fall IN THE BAG event, which auctions designer handbags to raise money for the Red Cross. She told committee members how moved she was to see the Red Cross instilling calm where there was palpable panic.

“Because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about,” Alyce says. “We want to be proud of our event, we want to auction great looking handbags, but the most important thing is to be reminded why we do this work.”

IN THE BAG was started eight years ago by Red Cross volunteer Brenda Blisk. The committee solicits new or gently used designer handbags, among them Gucci, Kate Spade and Michael Kors. Last November the event auctioned 147 handbags, ranging in price from $200 to $1,350. The auction raised $133,000 in less than three hours.

Alyce, 44, is uniquely qualified to solicit handbags for the event. She has worked for 10 years in the handbag department at Neiman Marcus and has a close relationship with many of the women who buy purses from her. A longtime client, Dr. Marta Wilson, brought her to the event as a guest five years ago, thinking Alyce would have a great network for soliciting bags. She was right. Almost half of the bags sold at last year’s auction – 70 of 147 – came from Alyce’s contacts.

“I’m like a constant cheerleader. I send an email out to my clients. I talk about this event all the time at work,” Alyce says. “You know it’s hard to go to a client and say, ‘Hey, do you have eleven hundred and fifty dollars to contribute to the Red Cross?’ But it’s easy to say, ‘Do you have something in your closet that you’re not enjoying anymore? Do you want to donate it to help save a life?”

Alyce says clients are thankful for the chance to contribute.

“I’m grateful to them for giving,” Alyce says, “but on the flipside, as they are giving me the handbag, they always thank me for being involved in this so they can make this kind of contribution.”

She says she was “blown away” by the professionalism and attention to detail when she first came to the event five years ago. She was introduced to Brenda Blisk and asked if she could help. “I said if you’ll have me, I’ll make the commitment right here and now that I will serve on the committee for next year.”

She now co-chairs a subcommittee of 30 women who oversee handbags for the auction. Each of the women contributes a bag for the event. They also get contributions from companies and sometimes they get help from unexpected places. Two years ago, a woman from New York City found the charity on the internet. They never met her but she contributed a black vintage Hermes bag that sold for $3,000.

Most contributions, however, come through networking. One of Alyce’s clients, Carol Chill, had recently lost her husband and was sorting through her belongings. She found five bags she wanted to donate, including a 15-year-old Gucci brown tote that still had the tickets on it. It went for $1,150. It was on sale for $600 when Carol bought it, but its age made it vintage and thus more valuable.

“It had been sitting in her closet all those years, nobody enjoying it,” Alyce says. “She was tickled.”

Alyce and fellow committee members are now preparing for this year’s auction on November 16. Bags have to be solicited and then cleaned, sorted and tagged for the event. She’s made it a family affair. Her son Tobey, 10, helped clean and tag the bags last year, and her seven-year-old son, Lucas, helped clean. And they’ll be back this year, she says. “It’s a great way to do volunteer work with your children.”

For more information on this year’s auction, visit www.inthebagrc.com.

Kristen Shaw's Story: Smoke Detectors Save Lives

Written by: Kristen Shaw, volunteer

I remember one night in high school waking up in the wee hours of the morning to the sound of a deafening BOOM through my window. I groggily stumbled out of bed and peeked through my blinds to see where the noise had come from and spotted a massive orange flame gaining strength on the roof of a nearby house. A propane tank had exploded somewhere on the street and a fire had started! I flew down the hall to wake my parents as fire trucks pulled up outside, and a few minutes later most of the neighbors, like us, had trickled out onto the street to see what was happening. Less than an hour later the blaze was extinguished, and my classmate and his family were okay, but their home had become a blackened shell. They had lost their beloved pets and most of their belongings in the fire. It took them months to rebuild.

Home fires claim about seven lives every day. Much like that night in high school, fires can happen at any time and spread fast, and being prepared is the best way to survive them. My neighbors were able to get themselves outside quickly because of they had working smoke detectors that worked properly.

In 2014, the Red Cross launched its Home Fire Campaign called Sound the Alarm. Safe a Life.  Its goal is to reduce home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent by 2020. To do this, volunteers visit at risk neighborhoods, providing fire safety education, outfitting homes with free smoke alarms, and inspecting existing smoke alarms to ensure they work properly.  Since Sound the Alarm was launched in October 2014, over 1 million smoke alarms have been installed in homes across the country, improving the fire safety of over 400,000 homes, and saving 332 lives!

Today I live with my sister in a two-bedroom apartment on the second floor. We are very interested in home safety, so we drew up a fire plan and bought a fire ladder to hang out of either of our windows in the case of an emergency. We make sure to test our fire alarms regularly. We’re also careful to turn off all space heaters, curling irons, and the stove after each use and before leaving the apartment. Simple but important tips like these help the Red Cross teach the public about fire safety. It is especially important to reach out to youth and the elderly to help them reduce the risk of fire.

You can get involved in the Sound the Alarm campaign by fundraising, donating, or helping to install fire alarms in your community! Visit http://www.redcross.org/local/washington-dc/home-fire-safety for more information and upcoming event dates.

The Benefits Of Giving Back By Volunteering With The Red Cross: Part I – Open Opportunities in Biomedical Services

Written by: Rosalind SE Carney, volunteer

Every 8 minutes, the Red Cross responds to someone in crisis. Generous volunteers give their time and talents to help fulfill the American Red Cross mission. Whatever your experience or interests are, there are volunteer opportunities available for you. This is Part I of a five-part blog series that details current volunteer opportunities in the National Capital Region (NCR) in Biomedical Services, Communications/Public Affairs, Disaster Cycle Services, Services for Military and Veteran Families, and Volunteer Services.

Why Volunteer With The Red Cross?
When you volunteer with the Red Cross, you become part of a group of people who truly make a difference in the lives of their fellow Americans and help people in serious need. It’s a great way to make new friends, learn new skills for your resume, and give back to your local community. For those who may not be in a position to make a financial contribution, a contribution of your time is the perfect gift. In fact, volunteers carry out 90% of the humanitarian work of the Red Cross. In return, you experience being part of a large humanitarian organization, earn documented service house, receive training and support, and participate in volunteer recognition activities.

Do I have to deploy as a Red Cross volunteer?
No. While many NCR volunteers deploy following major disasters, many volunteers have roles that are always performed locally. While some volunteers respond to unexpected incidents, such as a house fire, many volunteers work set hours, scheduled at times convenient to them. Many volunteer positions are located throughout the NCR at the Chapter office, blood donation centers, supply management locations, or are home-based.

Why is the Biomedical Services group so important?
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells, 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are needed every day in the U.S. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1.69 million people were expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2017. Many will need blood, sometimes daily, during chemotherapy treatment. One automobile accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood.

How can I help? 
The Red Cross collects and distributes about 40 percent of our nation’s blood supply. Help continue this mission by becoming a Blood Donor Ambassador to give donors a positive and fulfilling experience at a Red Cross donation center or blood drive. Blood Donor Ambassadors assist with reception and hospitality by greeting donors and offering refreshments. They provide a high level of customer service to promote blood donation and set the stage for a long-term commitment by donors. Blood Donor Ambassadors also play an important role in educating first-time donors about the process. Each shift is approximately four to six hours, with a requested commitment period of one year. A required two-hour training session is offered at American Red Cross offices throughout the National Capital Region.

What skills are required for this position?
This position is open to people who enjoy working with people and can provide excellent customer service. Blood Donor Ambassadors must be able to communicate in a professional manner with diverse populations, and read, write, hear and speak English in a legible and understandable manner. 

Where are Donor Ambassadors currently needed?

• The Washington, DC blood services center at 1730 E Street, NW 
• Old Town Alexandria office at 123 Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA
• Blood donor center locations in Fairfax, VA, and Montgomery Counties, MD
• Mobile drives in Washington, DC
• Mobile drives in Virginia: Alexandria, Arlington, Prince William and Loudoun Counties
• Mobile drives in Prince George's County, MD

Learn more or apply at: https://www.redcrossblood.org/volunteer

“Volunteering With The Red Cross Helped Me Find A New Job”: Laura Song’s Story

Written by: Rosalind SE Carney, volunteer

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.

Viral’s Story on the Tragedy that Inspired Him to Become a Red Cross Volunteer

What Being Trapped for 5 days in the Rubble of an Earthquake that Took My Family Taught Me About Survival and Life’s Blessings

Written by: Rosalind SE Carney, volunteer

In late January 2001, Viral Dalal went to visit his family at the apartment his father had rented while working in Bhuj, Western India. Viral’s father had planned a family trip to a local beach resort. Devastatingly, Bhuj was the epicenter of an earthquake that caused this trip never to be realized and killed more than 20,000 people.

At 8:45 am on January 26th, Viral was still in bed while his father, mother, brother, sister-in-law and two-year-old nephew were up and about in the apartment. Suddenly, Viral heard a noise that sounded like thunder. He looked outside and saw darkness; he could not figure out what the noise was. As he tried to kick his comforter off him, he felt the earth shake and furniture started rattling. Before he could get out of bed, the furniture became airborne 8-10 inches off the floor. This was the just start of an earthquake that measured 7.7-7.9 on the Richter scale and lasted 1.5 to 2 minutes.

The rattling sensation caused the bed to become airborne, which rendered Viral with no control over his body. He could hear the deafening roar from underneath the ground, the utensils in the kitchen crashing to the floor and his mother screaming. He looked up and saw the blades of the ceiling fan touching the ceiling and was sure the dangling fan would fall on his head. A 6-8 inch crack appeared in the ceiling and steel rods, once embedded in the concrete ceiling, became exposed. Viral tried to move but could not get off the bed. Plaster and concrete started to drop from the ceiling and the room went dark. This was only still only 5-7 seconds after the earthquake started. A few seconds later, the eight-story building started to collapse and fall to the side. The rented apartment was on the second floor. As the building crashed down, Viral braced his body for the impact. He felt as if he was falling through a tunnel as he fell to the ground. The shaking continued for another minute.

Viral was now enclosed in a small space, no larger than a coffin; the fallen ceiling was two inches from his forehead. He had no injuries but had no room to move. He shouted for help but the concrete muffled his voice. He thought this must be a nightmare as only a few minutes prior he had heard his family’s voices. Viral knew he must figure out a way to survive, to see his family.

Viral was wearing a wristwatch that his father had given to him on his previous birthday. The watch had an iridium blue light that Viral used to light up the small confined space in which he was trapped. He saw no way out. Concerned about a lack of oxygen, he restricted himself to one breath every twenty seconds. Using the light of the wristwatch, he found a strip of aluminum, part of a broken electrical fitting on the wall. He tried to scratch a hole in the wall, but to no avail. Luckily, sufficient oxygen would continue to reach him until his rescue…five days later.

Throughout the five days, Viral’s primary thoughts were about his family’s safety; his only hope was to see them again. He was disconnected from the entire world…not even an insect knew of his existence. Deprived off food and water, he forced himself to become mentally strong, telling himself such things were bad and unnecessary. Thus, he didn’t feel hungry or thirsty. To keep himself alive, he drank his own urine, which then became recycled urine. With the light of the wristwatch, he had also found a plastic electrical fitting. It was cup-shaped and had a hole in the bottom through which electrical wires normally pass. Viral blocked the hole of this fitting with his finger and used it as a receptacle to collect his urine. He estimated he could survive like this for eight days.

On the fifth day, the rescuers were clearing the rubble when Viral’s voice was heard. A Scottish volunteer team from the International Rescue Corps came at 3 pm that day. They could not pinpoint his exact location, so Viral told them whether the tapping sounds the rescuers made seemed to be coming from above or below him. The rescuers put supports above and below the slabs of the pancaked structure to prevent collapse and retrieved Viral through a small hole. The rescuers were concerned he was dehydrated, but Viral could only think of his family. At the insistence of the rescuers, Viral went to hospital but returned only 30 minutes later to help locate his family. He drew sketches in the dirt that detailed the layout of the apartment and indicated where he thought his family members were when the earthquake started.

Viral did not know that his brother’s body had already been found. Over the next four days, they found the bodies of his sister-in-law, nephew, father and mother. Viral felt as if his life was over. He returned to the family home in Ahmedabad, a four bedroom house, now empty. Two months later, he was still trying to reconcile what happened. He could no longer face looking at photos of his family. The missing smiles of his loving family in the photos made Viral realize he was doing something wrong with his life. He needed to stand up and finish the collective dreams of his family.

Viral’s father was looking forward to the day his son completed his Master’s in Computer Science at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. Eight months after the earthquake, Viral returned to the US and resumed his studies. He made a decision to move his life forward; he would sometimes have slip ups, but he never gave up. Viral is now married, with a 5-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter. This would never have been possible if he had not chosen to live life again.

Viral recently joined the Red Cross as a volunteer. He wants to share a message with other victims of natural disasters. The message is “choice”, “choosing light over darkness” and “live in the present.” Viral says, “People go through different things in life. If you go through darkness, it is then your choice to choose light. You can remember the past, but you do not have to become stuck by it. By being trapped for five days and losing my family, I learned that happiness is within myself and under my control. Life is beautiful, but sometimes you do not see how blessed you are until tragedy happens.”

Learn How To Become A Red Cross Volunteer

Learn About Red Cross Disaster Relief Efforts

My Red Cross Volunteer Story: Lazarus Davis

Integrating Red Cross Volunteer Work into Professional Development: Lazarus’s Story as a Volunteer Screener

Written by: Rosalind SE Carney, volunteer


For much of his adult life, Lazarus Davis has always volunteered to help his local community. From the Boy Scouts to the DC Reserve Police Force, he has found a way to use volunteer work to learn new professional skills.

Since February 2017, Lazarus has been working as a Volunteer Screener in the National Capital Region. Screeners donate about 8 hours a week during a 6-month, renewable commitment period. This position involves reviewing applications and resumes, performing interviews and background checks, and matching skills with positions available. As a result of his work, Lazarus received training in specific software applications, enhanced his communication skills and broadened his knowledge in human resources.

Lazarus is motivated by his continuous desire to understand and address community needs. After 15 years as a Reserve Police Officer, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and retired from the police force 5 years later. During those two decades, Lazarus sought to understand the day-to-day activities of police officers to help facilitate community-oriented policing.

Lazarus is currently enrolled in the Emergency Management Program at Frederick Community College. The program teaches participants how to forecast threats, understand crises, and launch response and recovery efforts for communities. As part of the program, Lazarus is completing an internship, which he chose to complete with the Disaster Relief team at the Red Cross. Once he completes the Emergency Management Program, he hopes to work for FEMA or locally in Prince George’s County.

Lazarus says, “The American Red Cross offers many different opportunities. I appreciate how much I have learned from my Red Cross experiences while continuing to give back to the community.”

Are you ready to make a difference like Lazarus? 

Learn about Volunteer opportunities in the National Capital Region.

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.

Sound the Alarm. Save a Life.

Written by: Morgan Terry, volunteer

The American Red Cross is coming in hot with their home fire safety campaign called Sound the Alarm. The goal of this program is to install 100,000 free smoke alarms, reach 40,000 households, and rally 35,000 volunteers across the country in high risk neighborhoods, culminating in the installation of the one millionth smoke alarm!

Starting in 2014, the overarching Home Fire Campaign was launched to help save lives and lessen the number of tragedies attributed to home fires. Sadly in 2016, for example, Maryland had over 2,000 residential and nonresidential fires with approximately 55 fatalities in that year alone. Furthermore, Washington DC had the most fatalities per million population in the United States. That’s why local Sound the Alarm events are taking place across Prince George’s, Fairfax, Montgomery and Loudoun County, Washington DC, Arlington and Alexandria.

How can you get involved?

PLAN. You may only have two minutes to escape when a fire occurs, but most people mistakenly believe they have more than twice as long to get out. Get started by learning all possible exit routes from your home and practice the escape plan twice a year. Also, test smoke alarms every month. If they’re not working, change the batteries or replace the alarm.

VOLUNTEER. Join us at events taking place across the National Capital Region this fall, where we will install at least 1,850 smoke alarms. Our group will be walking door-to-door to educate our community about fire safety. The two largest signature events are:

• September 23: Prince George’s County, MD – Oxon Hill, Bladensburg, and Mount Rainier
• October 7: Washington, DC – Brightwood Park area

LEARN. For more information about supporting the Red Cross through volunteering, fundraising, or to receive more information, visit www.SoundTheAlarm.org

4th Annual Volunteer Ice Cream Social

Written by: Morgan Terry, volunteer

This past weekend the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region celebrated its volunteers and their commitment to their work with its Fourth Annual Volunteer Ice Cream Event. Volunteers and their guests met at the Silver Spring office to beat the 90 degree heat with ice cream and socialize with fellow volunteers.

I go the opportunity to speak with a few of our region’s volunteers of different backgrounds from all around Montgomery and Prince George’s County.

The first two volunteers I spoke to, Usha and Dev, were President and Vice President of their school’s Red Cross Club.

“We’re both interested in the humanitarian aspect of the Red Cross,” Dev explained when asked about why he became a volunteer. Usha added, “We’ve been volunteers for a few months and we’ve really been enjoying it. We both want to make a career of giving back and volunteering, and we knew the Red Cross would be a good place to start.”

The next volunteer I spoke to, Charlie, explained that she has been volunteering with the Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) program for almost four years. “I was in the military for twenty-two years before I became a licensed healthcare provider. Many vets come home and it’s difficult to get a hold of the people who really need help, but volunteering for the Red Cross makes it easy.”

Volunteer with Us

If you’re passionate about helping people and looking for a volunteer opportunity with a visionary humanitarian organization, you can make a difference with the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region. No matter your interest, skills or schedule, you can make a significant contribution to our community and support people in their moments of greatest need.

For more information on how to become a volunteer with the American Red Cross in the National Capital region, or to find your local Red Cross office, please visit our website.

My Red Cross Volunteer Story: Joe Cattaneo

Carrying on a Century-Long Family Tradition Volunteering for the Red Cross

By Clarice Nassif Ransom, Volunteer

Volunteer: Joe Cattaneo

Resides: McLean, Virginia

Profession: Retired President of the Glass Packaging Institute and part-time consultant

Length of Volunteer Service: 3 years and counting

Length of Employment with the American Red Cross: 12 years, early in his career

Joe Cattaneo is carrying on a century-long family tradition of volunteering for the Red Cross, which dates back to World War I and spans two nations, the United States and Italy.

Joe’s maternal grandmother served as a volunteer for the Red Cross during World War I in Italy and Joe’s mother followed in those footsteps, serving as a volunteer during World War II, in Italy.  She married Joe’s American father in Rome and settled down in St Louis, Missouri.

“I was influenced by my mother to donate my time to help others in need, as she did so in words and by her actions working for the Visiting Nurses Association late in life,” said Joe.

Some of Joe’s fondest keepsakes are his grandmother’s Red Cross identification card from Italy and a Red Cross celebrity cookbook, which has recipes from celebrated actors from the early 1900’s, such as Al Jolson, Harry Houdini, Douglas Fairbanks, Lillian Russell, Mary Pickford, and Sophie Tucker. The cookbook was dedicated to the American Red Cross and the Actor’s Fund. Joe thinks the proceeds of the cookbook went to both organizations. The cookbook was acquired by Joe’s great uncle, who was a mess sergeant during World War I. Joe inherited the cookbook from his great uncle, who kept it in a special chest along with military medals and memorabilia.

So, Joe could not help but step up and be part of the American Red Cross organization, first, as a part-time employee in college during the Vietnam War era, later as a full-time employee, and now, as a volunteer, post-retirement.

“I started working part-time for the American Red Cross when I was in college,” says Joe. “The father of one of my fraternity brothers was the Assistant Director of the Service to Military Families Department at the St. Louis Bi-State Chapter. At that time, during the Vietnam War, I started doing casework – interviewing local families of military personnel stationed overseas and helping them to learn how to handle a budget and live without a spouse. Sometimes, we would deliver messages to service members from their families, such as the birth of a baby or an illness of a family member.”

Joe eventually landed a full-time permanent job with the American Red Cross where he worked for 12 years in three states – Wisconsin, Illinois, and Ohio, doing everything from serving as a field representative, to chapter management, and deputy division manager.

“Some of my most memorable times working for the American Red Cross was when I was a field representative in Illinois,” said Joe. “I worked statewide with various small chapters and organizations. I would speak about the Red Cross at various functions such as the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs and conduct audits of different chapters. I remember that one small chapter kept all their financial records in a shoe box – of course, this was all before computers.”

Joe also reminisced about the people whose lives he was able to touch working for the Red Cross.

“During the post-Vietnam era, refugees were relocating to the United States, many settling first at military installations before assimilating into communities. The American Red Cross would offer night courses to teach the refugees English. We also provided job placement for them. I even hosted a party at my apartment where we had folks attend not only from Vietnam, but also from Korea, Cambodia, and Eastern Europe. Everyone brought a dish from their homeland and it was a delicious potluck. One of the fellows was a tailor and made me a suit as a gift.”

Joe then became a Red Cross chapter manager in Wisconsin, where he was a community leader, promoting the Red Cross.

“I had a monthly radio show,” said Joe. “I would talk about blood drives and their locations, swimming and safety courses we were offering, and I would recruit volunteers. It was a great way to promote the Red Cross.”

After leaving the Red Cross as an employee, Joe became a partner in an Ohio advertising firm for nine years, then moved to the Washington, D.C. area to become Vice President of Marketing for the Glass Packaging Institute, one of his former clients, and eventually President of the Glass Packaging Institute where he retired in 2012, after a 20-year career with the trade association.

“I was looking at doing something on a voluntary basis for my community after I retired, so I contacted the American Red Cross in Fairfax,” said Joe. “I started volunteering as a Community Leader for the Red Cross, representing the Red Cross at exhibits and attending various community meetings and fundraising activities. I was then referred to be the head of volunteer services to participate on their volunteer intake screening team. In volunteer intake, we screen people who are interested in volunteering – we are sort of like matchmakers. We gauge their level of interest, and what they want to do, and find them volunteer opportunities that fit their backgrounds and our needs.”

In January alone, there were 400 volunteer applicants for the Red Cross in the National Capital Region that needed to be screened for the right volunteer opportunity. The time commitment is flexible and the ways to help out are endless – from blood donor services, to disaster relief, to community engagement, to a home fire campaign, to helping out at military hospitals and installations. Their volunteer opportunities are endless.

“We always welcome volunteers,” said Joe. “For me, volunteering for the American Red Cross completes my life as it is now. When I do this, I feel active. I get to interact with young like-minded people, and I look forward to it every day. It is not like a job, that can sometimes get tedious. There is always someone to help, someone whose life you can make better helping through volunteer service.”

When Joe is not volunteering for the American Red Cross, he is helping out many other organizations, including heading up a food bank, helping to tutor kids, and providing help for the homeless. He is also a music aficionado who once played piano, trumpet, guitar, and was in a band in high school. He also enjoys symphonies, operas, theater and sports.

“I am a St. Louis Cardinal fan forever,” concluded Joe.