Red Crosser Raul Rivera Nuñez Deploys to Philippine Relief Effort

Raul, far right, with American Red Cross colleagues Ian O'Donnell,
David Dunn, David Schindler, and Michele Devlin, all bound for
the Philippines.

Raul Rivera Nuñez, Greater New York’s regional manager of mass care and logistics, recently arrived in the Philippines for a four-week deployment with the Global Red Cross network, helping those affected by Typhoon Haiyan. We recently caught up with Raul, asking him a few questions about his work, the conditions on the ground, and the resilience of the Philippine people.

Q: Where are you staying?
A: We live in base camp in Tacloban City, over-sized tents co-located in an open field, operated by the Danish Red Cross. We have a work tent, a dining hall tent, sleeping tents, etc. We operate from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm (this includes time for breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Base Camp

Q: What kind of work are you doing?
A: When we first arrived, we jumped right onto making distribution runs. We have handed out hygiene kits, tarps, jerry cans, and food packs (rice, noodles, can of sardines). This is at the request of the Philippines Red Cross. Our target number is 2,000 families per day, and this is done in conjunction with host national society. Now we are in talks with the Philippine chapter to see how we can move into the sheltering phase of distribution (handing out more tarps, tool-kits, nails, CGI's, tents, etc...) Any decision will be made in conjunction with the Philippine Red Cross.

Q: Can you talk about your interaction with the Filipino people?
A: The Filipino people have been amazing. They are very welcoming, and always greet us with a smile. When we do distribution runs you can see the genuine expression of gratitude in their faces. When we take a moment to talk to them between runs, they tell us their how they braved the typhoon. Though their stories can be horrifying, they always keep a smile on their face, and their chins up (keep in mind that many of them lost family members, neighbors and friends).

Q:  Are you interacting with the local volunteers?
A: All the time. The Philippine Red Cross volunteers are inspiring. They mostly comprise college-aged volunteers. Since the schools are closed until January, they show up day in and day out, and they spend their whole day doing what needs to be done.

Q: Do you have messages for anyone back home?
A: I would like to send a huge Thank You to Kelly McKinney (Greater New York region chief response officer) and Dario Diaz (regional director, planning, readiness and situational awareness, Emergency Services), for going out of their way to make my deployment possible. I would also like to thank my colleagues Monica, Miguel, Erin and JJ for taking up the extra slack during my absence. For anyone I may have forgotten, and had a hand in making my deployment possible, I also want to send you a big THANK YOU. 

For Red Cross Volunteer, Typhoon Haiyan Hits Close to Home

Story and photo by Anita Salzberg

Since Typhoon Haiyan swept through the Philippines this past weekend, Ronnie Rigos knew he wanted to throw himself into the American Red Cross Haiyan relief effort. Rigos, a 25-year New York resident now living in Brooklyn, and a five-year Greater New York volunteer, hails from Quezon Province, about 45 miles north of Manila, the Philippine capital city.

“I literally jumped at the opportunity to be part of this response,” Rigos said. “It means so much to me personally.”

He, along with fellow volunteers and employees, has been eagerly taking calls from people searching for loved ones in the area devastated by Haiyan. From filling out tracing inquiries on missing relatives, to providing information on ways to support the Red Cross International Response Relief Fund, to offering emotional support and “being there” for people in this difficult time, Rigos is doing it all, including taking on a leadership role in the Greater New York response.

“I've reached out to local Filipino-American community leaders, established point-of-contacts and helped coordinate the services our local Red Cross is offering,” he said.

Rigos’ mother, sisters, brothers and other relatives remain in Quezon Province. Though they are safe, he has yet to hear from distant relatives and close family friends who may have been in the region hit by the typhoon.

He says he regards the American Red Cross, and especially the Red Crossers in the Greater New York region, as an extended family, and wants to thank everyone in the region, “For their enormous care, warmest of thoughts, awesome support, thoughtful kindness, and for being there, always.”

Red Cross Volunteers Support Typhoon Haiyan Relief Effort in Greater NY

Red Cross volunteer Felicity von Sück is helping staff the Greater NY Red Cross Call Center at regional headquarters in Manhattan.

New Yorkers trying to locate loved ones in the Philippines as well as those coping with the emotional trauma caused by the storm, can phone the call center at 1-877-REDCROSS (877-733-2767) for assistance.

“I’m here to be as helpful as I can to the people of the Philippines who can’t get in touch with each other,” Felicity said. “Hopefully I can help make things a little better.”

David Narvaez (below), another Red Cross volunteer helping out in the Call Center, said, “I’m from the New York area and I want to make an impression on the Philippine people that we’re with them, in this crisis. My wife is from the Philippines so I have an added interest in helping people.” 

Canvassing in Woodside, Queens




Sean Mckee (above, right) and Kanhong Lin (above, left) are both emergency responders for the NPRC AmeriCorps program at the Red Cross with Sean Murphy (back left) and Tyrell Tomlinson (back right). They spent part of Tues., Nov. 13, in Woodside, Queens, canvasing in Woodside, Queens, to let the Filipino community know about Red Cross tracing services available to those who are unable to reach loved ones after Typhoon Haiyan.

Sean said, “When we told people ‘We’re here for a way to get in contact with your loved ones,’ people immediately lit up and said they wanted to know more.”

Kanhong Lin added, “It’s good for the Red Cross to be out in the community and show interest and say, ‘We know you have family back home and we want to work with you.’”