Red Cross Month Volunteer Profile: Hortensia ("Rok") Anderson

by Stan Frank

For over 60 years, the President of the United States has designated March as American Red Cross Month. It is a month when we celebrate our volunteers and supporters who make the mission of the Red Cross a reality.

This month, we are taking a moment to celebrate the volunteers who raised their hands in 2017 to support an unprecedented year of disasters across the country and around the world. From natural catastrophes including hurricanes and floods to devastating wildfires and a tragic mass shooting, the Greater New York Region of the American Red Cross deployed more than 300 volunteers to deliver hope and help during a remarkable time.

We asked several volunteers to share some of their deployment experiences. Today we hear from "Rok" Anderson.

What first motivated you to become a Red Cross volunteer?

I’ve always wanted to raise awareness by educating communities on preparedness and assisting communities by showing empathy for the survivors of any devastation that occurred in NYC.

 (l -r) Zoe Anderson, Jody Oldham, and Hortensia 

How many times have you been deployed, and where?

I was deployed three times, once to Dallas, Texas; once to Santa Rosa, California; and once to the District 1 Headquarters in California. I am presently deployed in Louisville, Kentucky.

What was your most memorable deployment this past year?

My most memorable deployment was to Dallas in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. In Dallas I worked closely with the late Rosemary Mote, the Regional Disaster Officer for North Texas, on logistical needs. My mission was to assist the Logistics Team with pushing out resources and material in a timely fashion after Hurricane Harvey.

Every day I helped to procure supplies and equipment for the Dallas community. I made sure that requisitions for needed supplies from our warehouse were filled completely and correctly. I input the information in the Transportation Toolkit. I also learned how to open and close facilities according to Red Cross procedures.

Thank you Hortensia for sharing your experience and for deploying to deliver the mission of the American Red Cross. We are grateful for your service. #RedCrossMonth