ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 18, 2020 — National Volunteer Week is April 19 to 25, and the American Red Cross of Alaska honors its volunteers who are helping people in need, even during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emergencies don’t stop, and neither do local Red Cross volunteers, who are still providing care and comfort after disasters of all sizes, including home fires. Since the beginning of March, the Red Cross of Alaska has responded to 50 disasters in 11 Alaskan communities, providing assistance to 127 affected residents.
Due to this coronavirus outbreak, volunteers are providing relief services after home fires virtually, in coordination with local fire departments. Connecting with families by phone or video calls, we’re helping to provide support like lodging, health and mental health services, and emergency financial assistance, as well as link people to available recovery resources.
Here in Alaska, more than 700 people volunteer with the Red Cross by providing emergency assistance to military families, responding to home fires in the middle of the night, providing preparedness information to communities, and so much more. These individuals are also among the more than 300,000 volunteers who comprise more than 90 percent of the national Red Cross workforce.
“Red Cross volunteers freely give their time, energy, creativity and passion to our mission and keep our communities strong,” said Paton Stott, Regional Volunteer Services Officer for the Red Cross of Alaska. “We honor these true heroes who give their time to help people in need.”
Last year, Red Cross of Alaska volunteers provided food, shelter, comfort and hope to 1,096 people affected by home fires and other disasters across the state. They also helped train 19,665 Alaskans in lifesaving skills and exchanged 1,299 emergency messages between military members and their families.
BECOME A VOLUNTEER Our need for volunteers is constant and continues to evolve as we navigate this coronavirus health crisis. Volunteer opportunities include supporting and delivering much-needed disaster services to your community. We even have a wide variety of volunteer-from-home opportunities available. Find out more at redcross.org/volunteer.
Interested in serving? Everyone’s safety is our top priority. Please review Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for people who are at higher risk for severe illness, consult your healthcare provider and follow local guidance.
About the American Red Cross of Alaska:
In Fiscal Year 2019, the American Red Cross of Alaska responded to 435 disasters by offering food, shelter, relief supplies, comfort, hope and recovery services to 1,096 Alaskans in 50 communities statewide. Our preparedness teams installed 2,171 free smoke alarms and educated 1,409 youth through The Pillowcase Project. Our Training Services department enrolled 19,665 students in first aid/CPR/AED, aquatics and caregiving classes. Our Service to the Armed Forces staff exchanged 1,299 emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. In Fiscal Year 2019, our statewide workforce of 729 volunteers logged 40,735 hours in service to our mission and their fellow Alaskans. For more information, please visit redcross.org/Alaska or visit us on Twitter at @redcrossak.
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