Rudy Ramirez works from the Red Cross shelter at the Westwood Recreation Center to serve as an advocate for people impacted by wildfires and help them take their next steps.
Navigating the road to recovery can be difficult, but Rudy Ramirez is an expert.
As a Shelter Resident Transition caseworker with the American Red Cross, Rudy is dedicated to working around the clock to provide support to Red Cross shelter residents coping with the heartbreaking devastation of disaster.
“The road to recovery is filled with roadblocks, and people often don’t know where to begin," he said. "There is no roadmap, and each person’s experience is unique."
Having supported affected people after disasters such as the Lahaina wildfires and Hurricane Helene, Rudy has become an expert in the recovery journey. He understands how overwhelming the journey can be, so he strives to advocate on behalf of affected people, in hopes of helping to relieve some of the burden that they face.
“People are facing the same challenges that they were facing prior to the disaster, except now they are even more challenging to navigate,” he said.
Housing is often the most pressing need, so Rudy helps people get support from Red Cross partners providing housing assistance. So far, Rudy has helped over 15 individuals and families obtain FEMA assistance vouchers, allowing them to transition out of the American Red Cross Shelter at Westwood Recreation Center.
People and families affected by the devastating Los Angeles area wildfires can find more information about Red Cross recovery support by going to redcross.org/get-help.
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