Red Cross Needs More Bronx Volunteers for Local Disaster Relief & and Other Community Programs

National Volunteer Week: Red Cross Needs More Bronx Volunteers for Local Disaster Relief & and Other Community Programs

by John Norris, American Red Cross in Greater NY

National Volunteer Week, running from April 18th to April 24th, is upon us and the American Red Cross in Greater New York wants to thank the many dedicated volunteers in the Bronx who for the past year have worked tirelessly to help those in need during these uncertain times. In fact, for many dealing with the loss of their home to a fire or other emergency, the pandemic has meant a disaster on top of a health crisis and Red Cross volunteers have been there for these individuals with compassion and care. 

“Red Cross volunteers in the Bronx are invaluable for the organization, providing support after local disasters, teaching resilience and emergency preparedness, supporting service members, veterans and their families, and so much more!” said Mary Barneby, CEO, American Red Cross Greater in New York.

This interactive Red Cross disaster response map from 2020 highlights how volunteer teams have been particularly busy supporting our diverse communities in the Bronx and across NYC. But the Red Cross needs more volunteers in the Bronx to help in their efforts!

In 2020, Red Cross teams helped roughly 2000 Bronx residents following approximately 300 local emergencies like fires, floods and building collapses. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Red Cross has adapted their work to help ensure the safety of their volunteers and those they serve with PPE, social distancing, and virtual caseworkers.

The Red Cross is calling on Bronx residents to volunteer their time with the Red Cross to lend their compassion and skills to provide hope and comfort during these tumultuous times. The Red Cross is always looking for volunteers that mirror our diverse local Bronx communities.

Among those Red Cross team volunteers from the Bronx is Hector Pereira, who for decades, has served the New York City Bronx community. Hector states that his “desire to do volunteer service in his community came at a youthful age and has continued to this day,” and mentions that, at the Red Cross, “volunteers are not only respected, but cared for.”

As emphasized in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), volunteerism is an important vehicle for sustainable development because it enables communities to participate in their own growth. Bronx volunteers are particularly needed to help strengthen community disaster resilience, bolster community trust, and build social cohesion, because their efforts will be most effective in advancing the transformations required to enable sustainable outcomes for the people, by the people.

For more information on Red Cross volunteer opportunities and to sign up as a volunteer, please visit www.redcross.org/volunteertoday.

The Red Cross relies on the generosity of the American public to carry out its humanitarian work. To make a financial donation visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.