by Chris Pyo, American Red Cross in Greater NY
For the past couple of weeks, we've been sharing short stories on our Instagram (
@redcrossny) about how our team members across the region have been adapting to the reality of working during the COVID-19 breakout. Thank you to all the Red Crossers who continue to make a difference, either remotely or in-person.
#MyRedCrossLife#StayAtHome Edition: Over these next few weeks we’ll be sharing short stories of our team members adapting to this new #COVID19 reality. Thank you to all Red Crossers who continue to make a difference from home or wherever they are. Charleen Turner joined the Red Cross as a volunteer after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Among her many roles since then, Charleen has done virtual casework following large-scale emergencies outside our region, and served as a disaster responder, taking shifts every week helping residents at the scene of local disasters. As she shelters in place alone in her home in Huntington, N.Y., she supports families left homeless by fires and other disasters virtually, coordinating emergency relief and providing reassurance over the phone. In this role she takes a few 12-hour shifts each week. “The thing that’s interesting is, usually, we swoop in as Red Crossers and we help people who are experiencing a disaster. But now, we’re all experiencing this, so we’re not only helping others in need, but we’re also in the middle of it ourselves, which is a very unique position. We’re coping with our own fears, which we totally have to do … I can’t imagine what they’re going through [after a fire]. For us to be able to put our own concerns aside and do this work, makes [our own situation] not so bad. You are helping people and also helping yourself at the same.”
#MyRedCrossLife #StayAtHome Edition: Over these next few weeks we’ll be sharing short stories of our team members adapting to this new #COVID19 reality. Thank you to all Red Crossers who continue to make a difference from home or wherever they are! Lori Galen, an eight-year volunteer with the Greater New York Region, serves in multiple capacities. As a duty officer, she is responsible for dispatching Red Cross volunteers to meet with families impacted by home fires and other disasters in order to provide immediate emergency assistance. “The pandemic definitely changed the way I do my duty officer job, that’s for sure. I'm on shift Monday 7am - 7pm and Wednesday 7am - 7am. Before COVID-19, I didn't interview the client [resident impacted by disaster] directly. I sent volunteer responders to the scene and they handled interviewing. Now, I get the call from our Emergency Communications Center, make contact with the person in charge at the scene and get client contact information and livability [damage]. I call the client and interview them over the phone. I then arrange for a drop off spot where our responder can leave a client assistance card [financial assistance] and paperwork...Personally, there’ve been times where I’m watching the news and I’m crying, which is to be expected in this type of situation. I’ve started my garden. I planted a whole bunch of vegetables inside – I have five different types of vegetables that I planted inside. I have the trays set up with egg cartons in them and the seeds in each little pocket. I have three different types of tomatoes, cucumbers and string beans. Otherwise, I’m checking in with my parents, checking in with all my friends on Long Island, another friend in Tennessee, and so on and so forth.”
#MyRedCrossLife #StayAtHome Edition: Over these next few weeks we’ll be sharing short stories of our team members adapting to this new #COVID19 reality. Thank you to all Red Crossers who continue to make a difference from home or wherever they are! Kelly Molina (@kellymolina18) is a Senior at @baruch_college majoring in corporate communications and minoring in marketing. She serves as a Social Media Intern at @redcrossny. “I work full-time as a marketing assistant, along with my Red Cross internship and the two classes I’m taking in my final semester of college, and everything is remote now. With my Red Cross work, my priority is sharing safety and coping resources about #Coronavirus and the need for blood donations on social media…My routine has changed completely now; for instance, last week when I was staying home, I always felt so sleepy, and I was a little sick, although I’m feeling much better now. You feel like your mood changes and you get bored easily. But we’re all taking precautions, especially my family, because we live near Elmhurst Hospital, where there have been a lot of outbreaks.”
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