Even during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, emergencies don’t stop and neither does the American Red Cross. Local volunteers are still at work in communities providing care and comfort after disasters of all sizes, including home fires.

The Red Cross is working closely with public health officials to ensure the safety of local communities and our workforce, while also providing the help and hope people need. On average the Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters across the country every year and the majority of these are home fires. Last year, the Red Cross responded to 1,300 disasters and home fires in the fifty-three counties served by the Eastern North Carolina Region.

The Red Cross has immediate disaster volunteer opportunities open across all counties in Eastern NC, including Chatham and Wake counties.

The Red Cross will host two “Spring into Action Virtual Open House” events help interested volunteers to learn more about opportunities to make a difference in their local community:

Tuesday, March 9, from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Wednesday, March 10, from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

To register for either of these virtual sessions, visit http://rdcrss.org/36Iiw9o or email ENCRecruit@redcross.org.

HOW TO HELP 

The need for volunteers is constant, and everyone’s well-being is our top priority as we work with public health officials to safely deliver services during COVID-19. Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to learn more, including our most-needed positions:

• Blood donor ambassadors and transportation specialists: Blood donations are essential to the health of our communities, and blood donor ambassadors are a vital part of this work by welcoming visitors and taking their temperatures before entering Red Cross facilities and blood drives. Visitors could include potential blood donors, people seeking help, training course participants, and Red Cross employees and volunteers. We also have a high need for transportation specialists in Durham and Wake Counties to help deliver blood from our facilities to local hospitals.
• Disaster response volunteers: Most of the U.S. disasters that the Red Cross responds to every eight minutes are local home fires, which can destroy nearly everything a family owns in a matter of minutes. Partnering with local fire departments, Red Cross Disaster Action 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.
• Volunteer from home (virtual positions): Help from the comfort of your own home through a wide range of virtual opportunities.