American Red Cross in Greater New York volunteer Arturo Guzman, ARC/GNY Director of Logistics and Field Communication Travis Betz, and volunteers Margo Sanchez and Fred Leahy get together at Chapter headquarters in Manhattan on August 8. All have recently returned from serving as Red Cross disaster relief workers at national or international disasters. (Photo: Anita Salzberg)

Nine volunteers and employees of the American Red Cross in Greater New York (ARC/GNY) traveled this week to areas in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Ohio, where torrential storm systems and massive flooding has submerged thousands of homes and businesses.

These dedicated relief workers are helping to provide food, shelter, counseling and other assistance to individuals and families who have taken refuge at Red Cross shelters. They are conducting disaster assessments to gauge the needs of those affected. And they're staffing Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) that drive through flooded communities distributing food, clean-up kits and comfort kits to those who cannot make it to a shelter or are involved with clean-up efforts.  A standard deployment is a three-week commitment, but may vary based on the needs of each relief operation. 

Justin Charles, ARC/GNY Assistant Director of Training, and Richard Singh, Director of Information Technology Networks, have joined Red Cross disaster relief efforts in Oklahoma in the wake of Tropical Storm Erin. Volunteers Leah Lubin, Emilio Soto and Elisa Walsh, along with John Cruz, ARC/GNY Senior Supervisor of Response, and Katey Walsh, the Chapter"s Assistant Director of Planning and Human Services Council Liaison, are helping victims of the recent devastating floods in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  And volunteer Roger Burch and Hélène McGuire, ARC/GNY Assistant Director of Logistics and Field Communication, are working as responders at flooded communities in north central Ohio.

 "You take back with you so much more than you give,” said volunteer Arturo Guzman, who recently returned from a deployment to northeast Oklahoma. “You make people’s lives a little better just by your presence.” 

ARC/GNY disaster volunteers can join the Red Cross national network of volunteers who deploy to disasters outside their local chapters. The Disaster Services Human Resources (DSHR) system enrolls local volunteers interested in reaching beyond their own neighborhoods, helping people in other states when disaster strikes.  The Chapter is seeking additional disaster volunteers to join the DSHR system. If you are interested, please contact Jesse Ratner at 212-875-2477.