|
 |
Red Cross
seeking virtual volunteers to aid Louisiana
Relief Effort Seeks New Internet-Based Volunteers to Assist 3,000+ in
Shelters
Greenville, OH, August 24, 2016 — The American Red Cross remains on the
ground, with volunteers across nearly half of Louisiana, helping
thousands who lost everything in recent devastating floods—the worst
natural disaster since Superstorm Sandy in 2012. To further aid
community needs, the relief organization is building a new volunteer
contingent to deploy “virtually” (read: working from home) to support
the efforts currently underway thousands of miles away in the ravaged
flood zone.
“The situation in Louisiana remains critical and so does our need to
adapt by recruiting a new type of volunteer – virtual volunteers,” says
Lynne Gump, Executive Director of the Northern Miami Valley Ohio
Chapter of the American Red Cross. “I’m urging everyone to please
consider becoming a new virtual volunteer. People desperately need help
right now. By working from the comfort of your own home, you can make a
real difference for people in Louisiana who have lost theirs.”
The organization seeks to add an additional 250 virtual volunteers as
soon as possible. Opportunities include virtual caseworker and call
center positions. More than 17,000 calls from people seeking
information and help have already been handled.
As waters go down, the Red Cross is able to get into more and more
neighborhoods, and volunteers on scene are working tirelessly to
provide assistance. Nearly 90 response vehicles are fanning out through
affected neighborhoods to distribute food, water and relief supplies
such as personal hygiene items, insect repellant, cleaning kits and
bleach. Local officials estimate more than 110,000 homes have been
damaged.
To date, more than 1,900 Red Crossers from all 50 states, the District
of Columbia and Puerto Rico are supporting Louisiana relief efforts.
Since the onset of the flooding, the Red Cross and partners have served
more than 260,000 meals and snacks, in addition to distributing nearly
60,000 relief items. Mental health disaster workers are visiting
shelters to offer comfort. Health services volunteers are helping with
things like lost eyeglasses and medications.
To become a virtual volunteer, individuals simply visit redcross.org
and submit an application. The safety of the people the Red Cross
serves and the volunteers who help them is of utmost importance to the
Red Cross. We have procedures in place to track who is volunteering to
help keep people safe. This includes running a background check on all
volunteers who will work directly with the people who turn to us for
help or have access to funds. Volunteers also sign an agreement to
abide by our code of ethics and conduct.
|
|
|
|
