During National Volunteer Week, April 20 through 26, the American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region is celebrating the volunteers whose unwavering support make it possible for the humanitarian organization to assist people in need every day.
Last year, over 7650 Northern California Coastal Region Red Cross volunteers supported blood drives, assisted veterans and military families and provided food and shelter after 879 disasters of all sizes. Nationally, volunteers constitute more than 90 percent of the Red Cross workforce and are the cornerstone of its lifesaving mission.
The American Red Cross of the Northern California Coastal Region is comprised of five chapters that serve more than 10 million people throughout 15 counties. The North Bay Chapter serves Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties; the Bay Area serves Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties; the Silicon Valley Chapter serves Santa Clara County; the Heart of the Valley Chapter serves Merced, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties; and the Central Coast Chapter serves Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.
As part of the world’s largest humanitarian network, some 16 million global Red Cross volunteers work tirelessly in nearly 200 countries to prevent and alleviate human suffering. Here in the U.S., over 300,000 American Red Cross volunteers give their time and compassion to ensure that people are not alone during the most challenging times of their lives.
“During National Volunteer Week, we want to thank our volunteers for their service and support,” said Jonathan Bernier, Regional Volunteer Services Officer. “Our volunteers are true heroes, and it is entirely due to them that we can support local communities and people in need all across the country.”
Volunteers are more critical now than ever as the Red Cross responds to a new major disaster about every two weeks. These massive events, like storms and wildfires, are on top of the home fires which occur multiple times every day across the country. To make sure no one faces an emergency alone, the Red Cross has a crucial need for disaster volunteers and is actively recruiting to be ready for disasters of all sizes.
While volunteers of all types are needed, there is a strong need for people to support disaster operations and blood collection efforts.
These are the most needed positions:
Disaster Action Team (DAT): Help families in your community after a home fire or other disaster. DAT team members provide emotional support, emergency financial assistance and information to help families begin to recover.
Shelter Volunteers: Ensure needs of shelter residents are met and help them access additional services.
Blood donor ambassadors: Engage with blood donors by greeting them at blood drives, helping them register, answering questions, providing information and assisting them at the refreshments table.
Blood transportation specialists: Volunteer transportation specialists support hospital patients by delivering blood from Red Cross facilities to local hospitals.
For more information about Red Cross volunteer opportunities, visit redcross.org/volunteer. Free online training will be provided.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families.
