Victor Amsdell of Russell. Victor was among the first group of Red Cross disaster workers to head to Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene. He volunteered in evacuation shelters where families went to get out of harm’s way as the storm hit their communities. Victor has been volunteering with the Red Cross for less than two years, and this was his third deployment to a national disaster relief operation.

Henry Bala of York. Henry was among the first group of Red Cross volunteers to arrive in Florida for Hurricane Milton relief efforts. Henry joined the Red Cross in February 2024, and this was his first deployment. He served as a shelter volunteer. Henry said he decided to deploy to "help others in their time of need.”

Dennis Bayne of Plum and Paul Stillitano of Avonmore. Just a few weeks after they returned home from helping people affected by Hurricane Debby in Florida, the volunteer pair were off on their next deployment. They drove a Red Cross emergency response vehicle to North Carolina to respond to Hurricane Helene. The two volunteers have formed an incredible bond through their shared love of helping people in need. Paul, a former volunteer firefighter, and Dennis are both retired and believe helping other people is their "calling."

Steve Bixby of Montoursville. Steve deployed to Tennessee in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Steve volunteered in logistics, managing the facilities and systems required to support the disaster relief operation.

Zach Bloom of Houtzdale. Zach deployed to Tennessee as a public affairs volunteer to share information about the Red Cross response to Hurricane Helene.

Peter Brown of Allentown. Peter is the executive director of the American Red Cross Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter. He deployed to Tampa, Florida as an elected official liaison to coordinate with local, state and federal officials on the Red Cross disaster response efforts for Hurricane Helene. "If you drive down any street, you just see huge piles of furniture, upholstered couches, mattresses," Peter said. “There were some streets that were so packed with sand that you couldn't tell there were cars underneath parked on the street." Peter made a second deployment to Florida after Hurricane Milton hit.

Star Campbell of State College. Star deployed to North Carolina as a disaster spiritual care volunteer. Part of her role involved developing partnerships with local faith-based organizations to assist people affected by Hurricane Helene.

Lisa Conner of Hollidaysburg. Lisa is a member of the Red Cross blood collections team in Blair County but when she learned of the need for volunteers in the Southeast, she jumped in to help with disaster relief. Lisa deployed to North Carolina in disaster health services to support families dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. "As a Blood Services employee, we know we’re helping people but we rarely see the people we help," Lisa said. "Here, you see the people we’re helping and hear their stories."

Linda Culbertson of York. Linda deployed to North Carolina as a disaster mental health volunteer. She supported families in shelters near Asheville, and also traveled to meet with families who live in rural areas. "It was a very busy and very rewarding deployment experience," Linda said. "I will remember this community and the wonderful people I've met here." This was Linda's second deployment with the Red Cross.

Laura Farr of Monaca and Alex Lee of Zelienople. Laura deployed to North Carolina as a shelter volunteer. Alex deployed to Florida as a logistics volunteer.

Jason Fink of Erie. Jason is an EMT. As a licensed health professional, he deployed to Florida to deliver hands-on care and education to people affected by Hurricane Milton. Disaster health services volunteers provide health assessments and guidance, assistance with replacement of medication, durable medical equipment, glasses, dentures and other medical supplies, and support individuals with disabilities and functional and access needs.

John Gasparini of Mechanicsburg. John deployed to Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton. This was John’s fourth deployment to a national disaster relief operation. He previously deployed to Florida for Hurricane Ian and California for wildfire relief. “It’s incredible to see how these disaster relief operations are run. By the time I arrive, I’m given all the information I need on my assignment, where I’m staying, and it’s all led by volunteers,” John said.

Tom Graham of Greensburg. Tom drove a Red Cross emergency response vehicle to the Southeast with fellow volunteer Brian Shaub. They provided food and relief supplies to families affected by Hurricane Helene in Tennessee and Georgia.

David Harkey of Jersey Shore. David deployed to Florida as a shelter volunteer to help people affected by Hurricane Milton.

John and Jane Hoopingarner of Tamiment. John and Jane have deployed to national relief operations with the Red Cross more than 120 times combined. John first deployed to Georgia to help families affected by Hurricane Helene, then he made a second deployment with Jane to Florida, where they provided spiritual care services for people impacted by Hurricane Milton. “Because of the back-to-back storms, both Red Crossers and those we serve needed and appreciated special care, support and encouragement,” John said.

Marcy Huey of Warren. Marcy deployed to Florida as a disaster mental health volunteer. She provided emotional support to people coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in shelters and out in the community. “People would point and say, ‘That’s my house over there,’ and all you saw was lumber and personal items mixed in with it. It was really sad to see,” Marcy said.

Moira Hughes of Pittsburgh. Moira deployed to Florida to volunteer in a shelter for people impacted by Hurricane Milton. This was Moira's first deployment with the Red Cross. "It was very busy, but very rewarding," Moira said.

Judy Hurtt of Harrisburg. Judy volunteered virtually on the Red Cross reunification team. After Hurricanes Helene and Milton, many communities were affected by widespread power outages and limited internet connectivity, making it difficult for people to contact their loved ones. Judy’s team worked tirelessly to help families reconnect with their loved ones. "I’m at my best when I’m helping people," Judy said. "Every person I’ve connected with has been so grateful for the work we’re doing at the Red Cross."

Cathy Keefe of Altoona and Barbara Barben of McVeytown. Cathy (left) deployed to North Carolina to provide spiritual and emotional support to people affected by Hurricane Helene. Barbara (right) deployed to Georgia to volunteer in logistics, managing the materials and supplies used on the disaster relief operation for Hurricane Helene. This was Barbara's first deployment.

Debra Lambert of Connellsville. Debra's Red Cross lanyard is filled with pins from her many deployments over the years. She has volunteered to help people affected by wildfires, floods, tornadoes and hurricanes in New Mexico, California, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Hawaii and South Carolina. This time, she deployed to Florida to coordinate the Red Cross volunteers providing relief after Hurricane Milton.

Dean Leis of Hummelstown. Dean deployed to North Carolina where he helped families impacted by Hurricane Helene at a shelter in Clyde, NC. Dean fondly remembered the signs of hope that swept through the shelter, as residents began to recover and found new homes and jobs. Dean said he is inspired to help by the Hebrew concept of Tikkun Olam, which means “repairing the world.” “I hold this as a personal responsibility and need to do my part. I’ve had a most privileged life and wish to pay it back,” Dean said.

Jorge Martinez of Pittsburgh. Jorge is the chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania. He deployed to Tampa, Florida to volunteer in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which both impacted the area. "After devasting disasters, what you often see on TV does not do justice to the realities on the ground. That was absolutely true in the Tampa area," Jorge said. "I couldn’t be more grateful to be part of such an amazing organization."

Barbara McCabe of Williamsport. Barbara joined the Red Cross when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Since then, she has responded to many disasters across Pennsylvania and is now deployed to her second national disaster relief operation for Hurricane Milton. "It is so rewarding to care for people in shelters, especially when providing meals," Barbara said. "People are so grateful for the services we provide. I feel blessed that I am able to serve with the Red Cross.”

Fred Mccorkle of Altoona. Fred has been a Red Cross volunteer for about two years. His usual role is transporting blood donations from Red Cross blood processing facilities to area hospitals, but after hearing about the need for disaster volunteers, he jumped in to help and deployed to Florida. "I have family who have gone through a hurricane,” Fred said. “I think if a person has the time they need to consider doing a deployment just for humanity's sake.”

Melana Mears of Mars and Matthew Ott of Altoona. Melana is the chief development officer for the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania and Matthew is a community disaster program specialist in the Chestnut Ridge and Allegheny Mountains Chapter. Melana and Matthew deployed to North Carolina and volunteered at a community care center where the Red Cross and partners provided meals, water, showers, laundry services and relief supplies like tarps, gloves and power charging banks for people affected by Hurricane Helene.

David Morneau of Edinboro. David deployed to Tennessee to help people affected by Hurricane Helene. David's role on this disaster relief operation was to distribute emergency relief supplies to people who are cleaning out their homes from the floodwaters. “I like helping people,” David said. “I go when I can to help out.”

Sherry Nealon-Shrive of Wilkes-Barre. Sherry is the executive director of the American Red Cross Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter. Sherry deployed to Florida after Hurricane Milton hit as an elected official liaison. “The gratitude from people we helped hit me hard,” Sherry said. “Not just from folks who lost everything, but from everyone, everywhere I went. It showed me we're not just part of these communities for the moment; we’re woven into their recovery and resilience.”

Bruce Negri of Gouldsboro. Bruce was among the first group of Red Cross disaster workers to head to Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene. After his first deployment, he came home for some downtime then returned for a second deployment, this time helping people in Georgia. Bruce is a disaster spiritual care volunteer. His background as a chaplain helps families lean on their faith during challenging times.

Louise Olsheski of Topton. Louise, a social worker of 40 years, deployed to Florida as a disaster mental health volunteer to support to those grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. “Helping people is part of my fabric,” Louise said. “The American Red Cross has enabled me to step outside the box to help people who may be experiencing the unimaginable.”

Amy Pogue of Williamsport. Amy deployed to Florida as a shelter volunteer to help people affected by Hurricane Milton. She has been volunteering with the Red Cross since June 2022. "Volunteering with the Red Cross has been an eye-opening experience," Amy said. "I was unaware of how extensively the Red Cross is involved in a community until I began volunteering. I'm very glad to have had the opportunity to deploy because I've met so many wonderful people and I hope to do so again in the future."

Danielle Reed of Pittsburgh. Danielle deployed to North Carolina where she was responsible for recruiting and scheduling local residents who wanted to support their community. These volunteers helped expand the reach of trained Red Crossers by distributing relief supplies or performing other tasks.

Becky Robinson of York. Becky deployed to Georgia, where she volunteered in an evacuation shelter for people in Florida who escaped Hurricane Milton's path. After the evacuees returned home, she was given a new volunteer assignment: to survey the storm damage left behind in Hazlehurst, Baxley and Valdosta. "Most of the residents we encountered were friendly and grateful for what we were doing," Becky said. "I feel as though this area did not receive as much media coverage – considering other areas of the South were hit harder – but these people needed help too."

Jim Rogers of Macungie. Jim started volunteering with the Red Cross at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. After Hurricane Helene hit, he deployed to North Carolina where he is a logistics volunteer, helping to manage the inventory of Red Cross disaster relief supplies. "I have experience in warehousing, and I thought I could help with the recovery efforts," Jim said.

Daniel Rosado of Scranton. Daniel drove an emergency response vehicle to North Carolina for his 30th deployment with the Red Cross. He distributed meals to people affected by Hurricane Helene. Daniel began volunteering after his own family received Red Cross assistance following Superstorm Sandy. "Everything they had got wiped out,” Daniel said. “Imagine waking up and everything you had is gone.”

Brian Shaub of Denver, PA. Hurricane Helene marked Brian’s first Red Cross deployment. After more than two decades of military service, he found volunteering with the Red Cross as a new way to “contribute to something bigger.” Brian drove an emergency response vehicle to Tennessee with fellow volunteer Tom Graham. Their first stop was in Del Rio, Tennessee, about 50 miles from Asheville, North Carolina. “Everything was wiped out about 100 to 200 feet on either side of the river,” Brian said. “You wouldn’t even know there were houses along some parts of the river.” Brian drove through communities in Tennessee and Georgia to provide meals, water and relief supplies to families. He also connected with local first responders to locate additional people in need. “We provided hot meals to people that otherwise wouldn’t have hot meals or water. It was astounding to me that there’s people that are hungry and thirsty and they wouldn’t have had anything if it weren’t for this emergency response vehicle,” Brian said. “I heard a lot of people say, ‘I never thought this would happen to me,’ and it did. It happened to them.”

Bill Slotter of East Greenville. Bill deployed to Tennessee just days after Hurricane Helene hit as an external relations volunteer. In this role, he served as a liaison with government and private agencies to coordinate information and Red Cross services to help people affected by the storm. “I like the challenge of deployment responses,” Bill said. “You never know exactly what you will get because every one of them is different.”

Sandy Stein of Cranberry Township. Sandy has been volunteering with the Red Cross for 24 years. For her 10th deployment to a national disaster relief operation, she went to North Carolina to supervise shelters that are providing a safe place to stay for families affected by Hurricane Helene. "Seeing the ongoing needs in this community made me realize that this was where I was supposed to be," Sandy said. "My heart has been touched daily by the resilience of the families and their kind words as they move out of our shelters."

Bob Strouse of DuBois. Bob deployed to Tennessee as a government relations volunteer, where he served as a Red Cross representative in county emergency operation centers.

Bonnie Thomson of McConnellsburg. Bonnie deployed to North Carolina to volunteer in logistics. She spent her time working at a fulfillment warehouse to manage and organize Red Cross disaster relief materials and supplies.

Peggy Wilkins of Acosta. Peggy deployed to North Carolina as a shelter volunteer.