Volunteer FAQ
Q. How old must I be to volunteer with the American Red Cross?
A. To volunteer with disaster services, you must be 18 years old. A variety of opportunities may be available for Youth Volunteers under the age of 18. Please contact April Feraci if you are interested in starting a Red Cross Youth Club.
Q. How do I choose which volunteer opportunity is right for me?
A. Once you have completed the application process and background check, a volunteer screener will contact you to discuss volunteer opportunities and together you will determine a match. Consider how much time you are interested in dedicating, your skills and talents, where you are willing to volunteer, and what your schedule is.
Q. What is the time commitment required to volunteer?
A. Time commitments vary according to the area in which you choose to volunteer. It can be as little as 4 hours per month to 40+ hours per week. The specifics will be discussed with you by a recruiter once your application and background check are received in Volunteer Connection, our volunteer management system.
Q. What is Volunteer Connection?
A. Volunteer Connection serves as the primary Volunteer Management System (VMS) for the American Red Cross. Volunteer Connection provides a robust database solution for volunteer record management, as well as a dedicated volunteer member site that supports group collaboration tools, volunteer hours sign up, and much more.
Q. Why do I need an email to volunteer with the Red Cross?
A. In order to activate your Volunteer Connection account you must have an active email address. If you do not have an email address we encourage you to acquire one from one of the many free services providers.
Q. May I volunteer from home?
A. Our volunteer opportunities vary which enables some volunteers to work from home or in the field.
Q. How can I volunteer for disaster relief efforts?
A. The first step to becoming a Red Cross Disaster Responder is to apply using our volunteer management system Volunteer Connection. You will be required to create a profile which takes less than 5 minutes and submit your volunteer application through the system. You will also be required to submit a background check. Upon receipt of your background check and application, you will be contacted by a screener to discuss next steps.
Q. Can I volunteer for disaster relief operations nationally?
A. Yes, although you must have experience with disaster response as a local Red Cross volunteer. To acquire that experience, you must register, train and serve with your local chapter. There is no better time than now to start, so complete an application today!
Q. Can I volunteer for disaster relief operations outside of the United States?
A. Typically, there are very few volunteers deployed internationally and they are specially trained to manage international emergency operations. Please consider supporting your community’s needs by volunteering with your local American Red Cross chapter.
Q. I am an existing American Red Cross volunteer. Can I transfer to a different region?
A. Yes, to transfer between regions please complete a volunteer transfer request within Volunteer Connection. Please contact Kim Eller for more information.