Red Cross extends its flood recovery reach with the help of community partners and volunteers

By Dan Dowling, regional communications manager

“We’re doing a pop-up for the Red Cross disaster relief, providing clean-up kits and tools for the town of Plainfield and we’re ready to move to the town of Starksboro. But we’ll be back.”

Beth Ann Finlay

Beth Ann Finlay of Chelsea, Vermont, says she knew she had to act when devastating flooding once again uprooted so many communities across her beloved home state. The storm struck on the one-year anniversary of last July’s catastrophic flooding that crippled Vermont for months. As a lifelong blood donor, Finaly was familiar with American Red Cross, and says the organization’s broad mission to help others is what motivated her to become an event-based volunteer.

“It is rewarding and the right thing to do if you have time,” she says. “I just always think of it as a humanitarian, compassionate organization.”

After heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Beryl caused flash flooding across parts of central Vermont earlier this month, the Red Cross called upon more than 70 trained disaster relief responders as well as event-based volunteers and community partners to help provide relief and support to hard-hit towns across the state.

“I am retired from the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service – and I did flood-related disaster assistance with them, and I thought I could be helpful and transfer my skillset to the Red Cross,” Finlay explains.

In the aftermath of the devastating storm, the Red Cross hosted pop-up emergency disaster supply distribution sites in several communities. At these sites, Finlay and other Red Cross volunteers handed out much needed water and clean-up kits. These kits contain a bucket, cleaner, masks, gloves, garbage bags, a brush, mop, brooms, squeegee and handles – all the essentials someone mucking out their home would need and may not have the ability or capacity to access. The Red Cross can provide these vital resources to disaster-stricken communities at no-cost thanks to the generosity of our donors.

Finlay says it has been an honor to help her fellow Vermonters who are cleaning up and rebuilding, but also hard to see those who have lost so much – especially with many Vermonters enduring two storms, one year apart.

“It is rewarding but heartbreaking at the same time, so it's bittersweet. I’m just glad to be available,” she says.

Helping families and communities recover after a disaster is a team effort — no one organization can meet every need. The Red Cross works closely with a variety partners to ensure survivors’ complex needs for emergency shelter, food, water, health services and emotional support are met. There’s also a very real need, at times, to lift spirits. That’s when the Red Cross can turn to partners who can help those escape the stress of their recovery, even if just for a moment.

“It’s an honor to stand beside the American Red Cross as they do their best to take care of our fellow Vermonters who are suffering, impacted by the recent flooding,” says Sean Greenwood, of Ben & Jerry’s.

The ice cream company joined the Red Cross at several of the pop-up supply sites, dishing out a few hundred servings of their famous flavors, giving hard-hit communities a reason to smile.

“We’re thankful if a free scoop of Ben & Jerry’s can help serve that purpose at what is certainly a difficult time for so many Vermonters,” Greenwood says. “It’s great to see that all businesses can help, no matter how small the effort is… and when it’s Ben & Jerry’s, pint-sized contributions are perfect on these hot summer days.”

Partners and community volunteers can expand the reach of the Red Cross. If you are a local resident looking to help, please consider becoming a volunteer with the Red Cross. This is your opportunity to put on a red vest and serve alongside your community.

“If anyone has time, there's a variety of skill sets needed. I think that that would be very welcome,” says Finlay.

The Red Cross is responding to nearly twice as many large disasters as we did a decade ago to help families and communities struggling with more frequent and intense disasters. The need to help during disasters has never been greater. Join us to provide relief and hope when it matters most. Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday.