American Red Cross Spontaneous Volunteers | Update from the field: East Georgia Red Cross on the front line

Disaster Strikes without warning, but when it does, at a moment’s notice throughout the world, American Red Cross volunteers are ready to respond. Red Cross volunteers are trained, re-trained and always certified; this is what they sign up for and are eager to do – volunteer!

Matthew, a spontaneous volunteer, from Vestal, New York.

But what do you do when a major disaster strikes and “Spontaneous Volunteers” start showing up wanting to do something to help?  You quickly discover their interests and match them up with the needs that exist.  This is precisely what I found when I met a Vestal, New York family, serving hot meals in the Event Center of Binghamton University, right alongside of our deployed Red Cross volunteers. A mom, 15-year-old son, Matthew, an aunt and their family friends were all pitching in to serve dinner for our 500 shelter residents.  As I listened to their stories of volunteerism within the community, I quickly learned that, “this is what we do when you grow up in this community; you step in and serve because you love your town, you love the people and you never know when you may be on the receiving end of kindness.”

Spontaneous volunteers are incredible, and they are a vital supplement to the regular Red Cross volunteer team.  Matthew shared with us that all of his friends have been helping out in the community, cleaning out flooded homes, raking yards and helping with their parents in the Red Cross shelters.  Matthew also shared that the work of volunteerism can get in the way of regular fun, and he was glad.  He said, “Today I called around to my friends to see if they wanted to play a little pick-up football, but we couldn’t because everyone was too busy serving others. It was really cool to see that happening.”

A short distance from this family we found two students attending Binghamton University busy at work in their new Spontaneous Volunteer roles; mopping the floors in the gigantic Event Center.  Alec and Chelsea shared, “We saw what had happened along the Susquehanna River, the neighborhoods that were devastated, and the growing population at the Event Center, and we imagined ourselves in their position and knew that we had to help support the Red Cross and bring hope to the shelter residents.”

Many of the trained and certified American Red Cross volunteers began their tenure with the Red Cross as Spontaneous Volunteers.  It is important to know that American Red Cross community chapters across the country always welcome new volunteers and the contagious spirit of volunteerism.

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Update from the Field: East Georgia Red Cross on the front lines of Hurricane Irene Disaster Relief


Jeff Taylor, Executive Director of East Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross is currently on the front lines of the Hurricane Irene aftermath in upstate New York. For daily updates from the field, follow Jeff on Facebook at Red Cross East Georgia and on Twitter @RedCrossEastGA or @taylorjeff7.

Thank you to our volunteers and donors--you are the lifeline of our organization.