Our volunteers help thousands in need each year

by Jennifer Costa, Northern New England Regional Communications Director

"I try not to say I am happy doing this work, but it is deeply satisfying." 

Jane Marraty often meets people on their worst days. She's a Disaster Action Team member who has responded to countless home fires during her seven year tenure with the American Red Cross - a role the lifelong New Hampshire teacher discovered shortly after retiring.

"One of my nieces has said that I am doing retirement wrong being so busy with the Red Cross," Jane said, "But I say you don't retire, you just find the freedom to do what gives you great satisfaction. The American Red Cross is the place I chose."

During National Volunteer Week we thank Jane - and the other 1,662 Red Cross volunteers carrying out our mission in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. While the pandemic may keep us physically distant, we gathered virtually Monday night for a "Voice of Volunteerism" panel discussion - to celebrate our volunteers and discuss the many opportunities that await you at the Red Cross. The event was co-hosted by Senior Volunteer Recruitment Specialists Erica Fuller and Paula Coyle. 

Disaster Cycle Services

From large-scale disasters such as hurricanes and floods, to local home fires, the Red Cross has always been there to help individuals and families cope in times of need. Disaster relief focuses not only on the most urgent disaster response efforts, but prevention and preparedness too. When a disaster strikes, Disaster Action Teams and local caseworkers are deployed virtually or on-site, stationed at shelters and on standby in their communities to help those affected receive the food, care and basic resources they need to recover. This past year, we have deployed 70 volunteers from Northern New England to 132 individual assignments, which means more than 25 volunteers deployed more than once. It's important to note that roughly half of these deployments were virtual - a new opportunity our workforce embraced in our COVID-19 world.

OPPORTUNITIES:

• Disaster Action Team: Partnering with local fire departments, Red Cross Disaster Action (DAT) Team volunteers connect with families by video or phone call to provide emotional support, emergency financial assistance and information to help families begin to recover. 

Meet Vicki Meltzer - a volunteer on the front lines of home fires...

Biomedical Services

"Volunteers don't necessarily have more time. They have more heart," said Kristine Farhat, Red Cross Biomed Volunteer Workforce Engagement Supervisor.

Volunteers with biomedical services have the opportunity to work with the collections teams helping at blood drives and delivering our blood products to hospitals. Each year the Red Cross collects 6.5 million blood products and volunteers play a pivotal role in getting this lifesaving blood to people who need it. In Northern New England, 600 biomed volunteers covered 5,000 shifts at blood drives last year.

OPPORTUNITIES:

• Blood donor ambassadors: It's a social role charged with welcoming our visitors and donors to our drives and fixed collection sites. Ambassadors also oversee temperature kiosks, registration, canteening, sanitation and scheduling.
• Transportation specialists: We also have a high priority need volunteer drivers to help deliver blood from our facilities to local hospitals and to our lab in Massachusetts.

Meet Rip Rocheleau. A cancer diagnosis took his wife too soon, but not before the Red Cross gave her a bit more time. Find out how Rip's now "paying it forward..."

Service to the Armed Forces:

This branch of the American Red Cross focuses on active service members, veterans and their families. The Red Cross is responsible for providing various humanitarian services and resources to over one million active-duty personnel and more than one million members of the National Guard/Reserves. These services are available across the United States, and in military installations around the world. Additionally, emergency communications services play a central role in uniting families with their military members.

International Services:

By partnering with the over 180 other national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies through emergency health services and external disaster response, we strengthen leadership, financial management, volunteer networks and support the global movement. International Humanitarian Law education continues to allow youth volunteers here in the U.S. a place to explore the Geneva Conventions and human rights through the lens of limits on warfare. The Restoring Family Links program helps reunite families and loved ones who have been separated due to international conflict.  ​

Meet Justin Coghill:

"I enjoy engaging in the international community, especially with the political climate. It's even more important now to step up and support those individuals."

While fundraising for a devastating wildfire in 2013, Justin Coghill found the Red Cross. He was in college at the time. He quickly discovered his niche as a caseworker for our Restoring Family Links program. Over the years, one particular tracing case has stuck with him - a college classmate was searching for her sibling. They had been separated by conflict in her home country.

"Believe it our not, we found him a couple of months after her submitting her case," said Justin, "It was just a wild coincidence that this person I was sitting next to in one of my classes was able to benefit from this program and actually got in touch with her brother after being separated for years."

If you missed the "Voice of Volunteerism" panel, you can watch the hour-long discussion here. 

Volunteers and staff partners from Disaster Cycle Services, Biomedical Services, Service to the Armed Forces and International Services recount inspiring tales from the trenches and share how you can volunteer today!

For more information:

VISIT: redcross.org/local/me-nh-vt/volunteer 

EMAIL: volunteerNNE@redcross.org