Are you Ready to make a Difference?
Volunteers needed at your local Red Cross

Newton, NJ, Jan 28, 2011 – Disasters can happen anywhere at any time. Thanks to the assistance and commitment of  local volunteers, the Sussex County Chapter of the American Red Cross provides emergency services 24/7, responding when a single family or an entire community is affected by a disaster such as fire, flood, or hurricane. Volunteer Disaster Action Team Coordinator, Jim Rich explained, “Community in Red Cross terms is applicable on many levels.  Our primary responsibility is to the people of Sussex County but community can – and does – extend well beyond county borders, from assisting Red Cross chapters in other parts of the state to serving on large scale disasters in other parts of the country.”  He continued, “It takes a concerted effort, but the Red Cross provides the opportunity and training to deliver disaster services at every level of the community--local or otherwise”.

Staff member Lauri Gill, Volunteer and Youth Services Coordinator, said “Volunteers at our chapter come from all walks of life; professionals, high school students, community leaders, adults of all ages – they all come with different life experiences and they all want to be able to contribute to their community in a meaningful way”.  The chapter is currently enlarging its base of volunteers for all lines of service, including Disaster Response and Preparedness, Office Support, help with Community Events and more.  Volunteers are needed from all 24 municipalities to help support the chapter.

Gill added, “Volunteers who are ready and trained are essential to the chapter’s ability to respond 24/7 when people need Red Cross Disaster Services”. The process of becoming a volunteer includes completing an application and a brief interview, a criminal background check, and attendance at a one-hour orientation meeting. It may sound like a lot but it’s a quick and easy process. To learn more about volunteering opportunities with the Sussex County Chapter of the American Red Cross, visit www.sussexredcross.org or call 973-579-1600.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.