Red Cross Urgently Seeks Ohio Volunteers for Hurricane Relief Efforts
ZANESVILLE, OH – The American Red Cross is making an urgent call for volunteers right here in Ohio. With Hurricane Helene causing widespread damage, there’s a growing need for helping hands on the ground.
Currently, over 1,300 Red Cross responders, including more than 30 local volunteers, are on the ground across 10 states hit hard by Hurricane Helene. The Central & Southern Ohio Region is calling for even more volunteers to help run emergency shelters. Even if you don’t have the disaster experience, the Red Cross wants those with management or organizational skills to join the effort.
“The main role will be sheltering volunteers. These are the folks that help make sure that our shelters are running smoothly and providing a kind face and a welcoming heart to the folks that have been affected by the storms. That’s going to be a big role. A lot of folks will also get to participate in our feeding missions where we will take the emergency response vehicles out into the impacted communities to deliver meals to the folks who need them. You’ll be there on the front lines seeing the people that have been impacted directly, and seeing the damage up close,” Don Hawkins, the Regional Communications Manager with the American Red Cross Central and Southern Region said.
Volunteers will be deployed for two weeks and will receive full training. Beyond volunteering, you can also support the Red Cross through donations or by giving blood to help those affected by disasters.
“We are a national blood bank. We’ve shipped blood product down from all these other regions before the storm knowing that there was going to be disruption. We’ve seen almost 100 blood drives canceled, and over 1,000 units go uncollected that normally would get collected. Help us make sure that supplies stay strong both locally and in the impacted area, if you’re a regular blood donor or you’ve thought about becoming a blood donor, it’s a great time to schedule your donation,” Hawkins said.
If you’ve got the heart and the hustle, the Red Cross needs you. To sign up, to donate, or to learn more, visit the American Red Cross website today.
