Red Cross seeks area disaster volunteers

VW independent/submitted information

LIMA — The American Red Cross of West Central Ohio is recruiting volunteers to join its workforce to help families affected by an increase in disasters caused by home fires and severe storms across the country.

In the past several days, the Ohio Buckeye Region of the Red Cross has sent 19 volunteers to respond to the devastating flooding in West Virginia. In addition, the Red Cross still has workers on the ground responding to the Texas floods, as well as Canadian and California wildfires.

Locally, volunteers are responding to daily emergencies close to home, including home fires and flooding.

The Red Cross is training new volunteers to help with this upsurge of disaster relief efforts across the Ohio Buckeye Region and across the country. A recruitment open house for new volunteers is scheduled at 5 p.m. Friday, July 8, at the American Red Cross, 610 S. Collett St. in Lima.

“This year, more families throughout the country have found themselves standing outside their destroyed home and left wondering what to do next,” said Catherine Reed, disaster program manager for the West Central Ohio Chapter. “That’s when the Red Cross steps in. We’re looking for strong volunteers who can make a difference for their neighbors and provide help and comfort on one of the worst days of their life.”

Across the 45-county region the Red Cross serves in the Ohio Buckeye Region, volunteers respond to home fires nearly every day, providing food, shelter and comfort to more than 1,200 families affected each year in our communities.