By Anastassia Roberts, Communications intern 

Bella Hall may have only begun her Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) internship in November of last year, but she can already speak on the value of working with the American Red Cross. The Service to the Armed Forces team works directly with members of the military, veterans, their families, and caregivers to help them cope with the challenges of service.

Through programs such as the Hero Care Network, Resiliency Programs and the Military and Veteran Caregiver Network (MVCN), SAF provides resources and care to those in need. When summarizing her experience as an SAF intern, Bella shares, “Now that I’ve started, I don’t want to end.” 

Bella is a student at San Diego State University as a Public Health major. While seeking internship opportunities, she was looking to gain experience with program implementation and shadowing. Considering Bella used to occasionally volunteer for the Red Cross during active disasters and Sound the Alarm events, the Red Cross’ SAF internship caught her eye. “I was super excited to dive in under the Military Treatment Facility (MTF) division of the internship,” Bella shares. 

According to Bella, the transition from a fast-paced school environment to a non-profit organization has been jarring, but healing. Most of the work Bella does in her internship is discussion-based brainstorming so a lot of her projects are “person to person based.” “I’ve gotten to see how things move along on a real timeline,” she mentions. 

As an SAF intern, Bella has had the opportunity to work with program management, evaluation processes, outreach, and communications. So far, she has really enjoyed developing “Volunteens,” which is a program designed so that teenagers who are interested in the medical field can get exposure to being in hospitals without necessary credentials or other authoritative approval. Bella feels that “engaging our future generations, especially in the medical field, has a really great output,” and she is delighted to be developing such an important program. “I love the idea of helping others, especially in preparing them for something they really want to do,” Bella comments. 

Bella also shared some insights on what the outreach experience of her internship has been like. When visiting military bases, Bella talks to military members and their families about services the Red Cross offers. The Red Cross can “connect with people on a personal level” by providing each person in need with resources specifically for them. “It’s amazing. You don’t really get to see that with other [companies] because they’re so focused on their own outcome,” Bella shares.  

Being an SAF intern for the Red Cross has been a rewarding experience for Bella, both because of how it has impacted her and because of how she has impacted others. “The most rewarding part is giving back and interacting with the people you meet along the way,” Bella explains. Bella encourages everyone to volunteer because “there are so many different parts of the Red Cross that there is something for everyone.” By working with the SAF team, Bella has had the opportunity to grow in a community of people through her personal connections with service members and those in the military community. 

Learn more about volunteering for the Services to the Armed Forces at redcross.org/volunteer.