Inside The Responder For more information about the Metro Atlanta Chapter of the American Red Cross, visit www. redcross.org/local/georgia/ locations/atlanta. Did you know that volunteers should log into their Volunteer Connection profile at least once every six months to be considered an active volunteer? This shows you are logging hours and keeping up with what is happening in your activities. Log in today! Log into Volunteer Connection smoke alarms, helped clients create 2,004 escape plans and handled seven large disasters just since the start of this fiscal year. We’ve had 1,954 regional disasters served by local chapters and have processed 3,267 cases, assisting 8,960 individuals. The “Help One Family” campaign theme reflects the impact each donation could mean to the individuals who are suffering from a disaster. The Giving Day website provided specific examples of the items, such as food and blankets, the Red Cross would be able to provide to those in need based on each donation. In 2015, the American Red Cross, Georgia, provided emergency aid for more than 4,400 local families after almost 3,000 home fires and other disasters. It donated more than 224,000 units of blood to area hospitals, trained 54,600 people in lifesaving skills and helped nearly 6,600 military families with emergency communications and services. It also installed more than 5,900 smoke alarms in vulnerable homes and taught more than 11,000 children across the state how to respond to emergencies. In Georgia, the Red Cross responds annually to about 2,700 disasters. As of March 2016, our region has served 6,477 clients, installed 4,614 Numbers explain why contributions, community involvement important The American Red Cross celebrated its second annual national Giving Day April 21, promoting the opportunity for communities to help families who have been affected by fires, natural disasters and other catastrophic events. The event gave individuals the opportunity to contribute either financially or by acting as a Giving Day social ambassador. Donations of 5,700 financial gifts netted the Red Cross $2,515,995 on Giving Day. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the American Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. Social ambassadors were asked to spread the word about Giving Day to family and friends through their email and text messages and through social media outlets. The Red Cross provided text and graphic resources. Ambassadors also were asked to include the hashtag #help1family in their messages. Giving Day promotes financial donations, community awareness May 2016 A publication of the American Red Cross of Metropolitan Atlanta P2 P3 P3 Chapter assists in flood relief DAT shifts need volunteers Pillowcase Project underway
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Inside
The Responder
For more information about the Metro Atlanta Chapter of the American Red Cross, visit www.redcross.org/local/georgia/locations/atlanta.
Did you know that volunteers should log into their Volunteer Connection profile at least once every six months to be considered an active volunteer? This shows you are logging hours and keeping up with what is happening in your activities. Log in today!
Log into Volunteer Connection
smoke alarms, helped clients create 2,004 escape plans and handled seven large disasters just since the start of this fiscal year. We’ve had 1,954 regional disasters served by local chapters and have processed 3,267 cases, assisting 8,960 individuals.
The “Help One Family” campaign theme reflects the impact each donation could mean to the individuals who are suffering from a disaster. The Giving Day website provided specific examples of the items, such as food and blankets, the Red Cross would be able to provide to those in need based on each donation.
In 2015, the American Red Cross, Georgia, provided emergency aid for more than 4,400 local families after almost 3,000 home fires and other disasters. It donated more than 224,000 units of blood to area hospitals, trained 54,600 people in lifesaving skills and helped nearly 6,600 military families with emergency communications and services. It also installed more than 5,900 smoke alarms in vulnerable homes and taught more than 11,000 children across the state how to respond to emergencies. In Georgia, the Red Cross responds annually to about 2,700 disasters.
As of March 2016, our region has served 6,477 clients, installed 4,614
Numbers explain why contributions, community involvement important
The American Red Cross celebrated its second annual national Giving Day April 21, promoting the opportunity for communities to help families who have been affected by fires, natural disasters and other catastrophic events.
The event gave individuals the opportunity to contribute either financially or by acting as a Giving Day social ambassador.
Donations of 5,700 financial gifts netted the Red Cross $2,515,995 on Giving Day. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the American Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs.
Social ambassadors were asked to spread the word about Giving Day to family and friends through their email and text messages and through social media outlets. The Red Cross provided text and graphic resources. Ambassadors also were asked to include the hashtag #help1family in their messages.
Giving Day promotes financial donations, community awareness
May 2016A publication of the American Red Cross of Metropolitan Atlanta
P2 P3 P3Chapter assists in flood relief
DAT shifts need volunteers Pillowcase Project underway
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Red Cross responds to massive flooding in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas
The Metro Atlanta Chapter has more than 250 Disaster Action Team (DAT) members and trainees. Despite the growing number, too often, shifts have no volunteer coverage. DAT responders are asked to sign up for at least one shift every month. Once every two weeks is even better! DAT teams are on call at any given time to respond to disasters within their community.
DAT volunteers are required to complete the “Recovery Services: An Overview,” “Casework and Recovery Planning” and” Direct Client Assistance Fundamentals” training. Volunteers who have not completed these three Client Assistant System (CAS) online classes should do so right away. You can sign up for these and related classes using the EMBARC learning management system.
To access EMBARC, volunteers should visit https://embarc-learning.sabacloud.com.
You can donate by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
To date, more than 2,300 Red Cross workers have overseen the building of 61 shelters with more than 5,200 overnight stays, more than 335,300 meals and snacks served, more than 161,600 relief items distributed and more than 15,100 health and mental health contacts made and more than 5,900 cases opened to provide one-on-one support. The Red Cross estimates it will spend between $4 and $7 million providing flood relief assistance in four states.
The big picture of support provided, by the numbers
assist in the flood relief effort. Among the volunteers are: Molly Bardsley, Amanda Brown, Michele Hampton, Tom Johnson, Patricia LeBlanc, Donna Lee, Janis Martinez, James McGahey, Jeanne Spears and Lewis Wynder.
Flooding has been rampant throughout the year in America’s south, and Red Cross workers have helped from the beginning. Flooding has ravaged Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, and continues to be a crisis in Texas. Rain in Houston, including more than 17 inches that fell in a single day (April 17), has affected more than 1,000 homes, with more than 1,200 rescues and eight deaths reported and leaving an estimated $5 billion in damages.
Red Cross disaster workers have responded to and continue to provide assistance to parts of the south where devastating flooding has forced thousands of people from their homes in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Metro Atlanta chapter volunteers and employees deployed to the Mississippi and Louisiana Disaster Relief Operations (DROs) to
Flood response assistance has a Georgia flair
Disaster Action Team: shifts need volunteers; required, related training available
For more information regarding the DAT program, how to sign up for shifts and required and related training, contact either Judy Shope at [email protected] or Tracey Galvin at [email protected].
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Morgan Dorsey, James Hunter, Stella Kim and Ben Mueller with Tom Boney
If you would like to participate, send an email message to [email protected].
Pillowcase Project volunteers Morgan Dorsey, James Hunter, Stella Kim and Ben Mueller have completed their training and been added to the instructor roster.
Pillowcase Project is a free, interactive program for youths ages 8 through 11. The program increases awareness of natural hazards and teaches safety, coping skills and personal preparedness. Students create their own emergency supply kit by packing essential items in a pillowcase, which they decorate, for easy transport during a disaster.
Thanks to volunteers Pam Thompson and Morgan Dorsey for their work kicking off the season, and to Preparedness Education Lead Tom Boney, the primary Pillowcase trainer and instructor.
Pillowcase Project season underway; new volunteers added
Pillowcase Project underway; new instructors complete training
To learn more about the metro Atlanta’s Services to the Armed Forces program and the benefits it provides our servicemembers, visitwww.redcross.org/local/georgia/directory-of-services/military-families.
Services to Armed Forces seeks volunteers Clara Barton was a recording clerk in the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C., when the first federal troops poured into the city in 1861. The war had just begun, the troops were newly recruited and residents in the capital were alarmed and confused. Barton perceived an immediate need to provide personal assistance to the men in uniform, some of whom were wounded, many hungry and some without bedding or any clothing except what they had on their backs.
Many of the men had been her students when she was a teacher, so she took supplies to the Sixth Massachusetts Infantry. Throughout many more wars, Clara provided nurturing assistance to soldiers by writing letters home to their loved ones.
Afterward, Clara went to Europe to rest. There, she read a book by Henry Durant, founder of the global Red Cross network. Henry later called for international agreements and Clara fought for the United States to join.
We continue this commitment to the Armed Forces through outreach, community engagement, job readiness and family strengthening services. We are looking for volunteers to: support medical staffs by assisting veterans at the VA’s Community Resource & Referral Center (escort veterans to social service organizations, assisting with the computer lab and managing the Clothing Closet); man the information desk on Fort McPherson;
provide administrative support at the Atlanta VA Medical Center; tabling events for Reservists and their families; distributing thank you and holiday cards; and conducting case work to support emergency messaging to active military in their time of need.
All opportunities involve working with a Volunteer Lead who will provide you with onboarding and training to help you become familiar with the military.
If you are interested in serving those who have served us, call Olivia Garrison, Service to Armed Forces Program Manager, at 404-575-3725 or email her at [email protected].
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Home fire campaign underway The American Red Cross and its partners have launched an initiative to reduce deaths and injuries caused by home fires by 25% in five years. The chapter continues to have great success installing smoke alarms in target neighborhoods. The Red Cross also is joining with fire departments and community groups to canvass neighborhoods and teach people about fire safety.
Volunteers are still needed to assist with campaigns in May and June. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Stella Kim by email message to [email protected].
Mental Health teams have been part of the American Red Cross since the early 1990s.
Case Work, Disaster Mental Health, Disaster Spiritual Care and Disaster Health Services will be able to serve on Integrated Condolence Care Teams and are encouraged to take this excellent class.
The “Integrated Condolence Care Fundamentals” class is available through the EMBARC learning management system. To access EMBARC, volunteers should visit https://embarc-learning.sabacloud.com.
Mark Dadonna has accepted the co-lead position for DMH for Metro Atlanta and will serve with Deborah Hatherley.
The national Red Cross office has provided a webinar titled “Integrated Condolence Care Fundamentals,” which three chapter DMH volunteers have taken.
Going forward, all teams that provide condolences, hospital visits and other visits will be interdisciplinary. All volunteers across
Volunteers to cross train for Integrated Condolence Care Team
Nine members of the Metro Atlanta Chapter’s Disaster Mental Health (DMH) team recently participated in the Disaster Relief Operation (DRO) for flood relief in the American south. Christine Appl-Walsh led the Post Deployment Support Team that followed up with thevolunteers and staff who served on the DRO.
Disaster Mental Health assists with flood relief; consolidates teams
Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter1955 Monroe DriveAtlanta, GA 30324
