NAACP/Red Cross Disaster Strike Team

The NAACP Red Cross Disaster Strike Team has been on scene helping survivors of Hurricane Sandy since Nov. 1, 2012. This extraordinary team works in tandem with the Red Cross, helping to feed victims of disasters and to distribute relief items, including Red Cross comfort and cleanup kits.

Team leader Gene Collins revived an agreement between the Red Cross and the NAACP from 1981. Since Collins has taken this agreement under his care the team has expanded to approximately 100 members nationwide. They now deploy wherever the Red Cross deploys. Recently, they were deployed to Louisiana, Florida, Joplin Missouri, and now New York City.

Gene Collins, who is heading up the NYC group, goes ahead of the team and does an assessment of communities and reports the needs back to the Red Cross for action. Another member, George Thomas, said they received a request for 5,000 blankets and some hot meals from one New York community. Because of their outstanding ability to connect with the communities they serve, this “strike team” is extremely effective.

On a recent mission during the current Superstorm Sandy deployment, the team came upon a family who was concerned about their 79-year-old aunt whom they had not heard from since the storm’s impact. She was on the 17th floor of a high rise apartment building. The NAACP and Red Cross volunteers climbed the 17 floors. Leonard Favorite, Gene Collins and James Richardson were able to reach her.

Leonard said, “I knocked on the door and told her ‘I came all the way from Texas to rescue you.’”

He carried her to the ground floor and re-united her with her family.

Leonard said, “There were many tears of joy shed when she was reunited with her family.”

Volunteer Spotlight: Sandi Bednorz

By Gemma Haywood

When Hurricane Sandy hit America’s east coast, creating a storm surge that decimated thousands of homes, Sandi Bednorz knew she had to help.

Hearing an urgent request for Red Cross volunteers, Bednorz responded. This was her first time volunteering with the Red Cross. Alongside other volunteers she undertook disaster response training and has since been working as a Red Cross mass care (feeding) coordinating manager in New York City, as part of the ongoing Red Cross Hurricane Sandy relief operation.

Bednorz moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., from Orlando, Florida, eight months ago. Just before the arrival of the Hurricane, she had quit her job as a corporate event planner. This gave her the flexibility to sign up with the Red Cross to help those affected by Sandy.

Her daily activities include facilitating staff communications, creating organization charts, identifying staff work space, and helping in other areas wherever needed.

“I’ve been here for eight days volunteering thirteen hours a day, and I do it because it’s what you do, you see people in need and you help them,” she said. “Knowing the amount of people we are helping, knowing how many meals the Red Cross kitchens make and it's all volunteer-based is very satisfying."

Volunteer Spotlight: Vangie Hansen

By Giselle Gomez

Vangie Hansen, a licensed professional counselor, has traveled from Grand Junction, Colo., to assist with the relief and recovery efforts for Super Storm Sandy. As a part of the Disaster Mental Health Team, she is riding along with Red Cross emergency response vehicles (ERVs) based out of Fort Tilden in Queens, N.Y., that are traveling to hard hit areas like Breezy Point and the Rockaways.

The Disaster Mental Health Team is focused on providing crucial emotional support to residents of affected communities.

“There are great needs after a disaster,” said Vangie. “I feel honored and privileged to be able to help people that are going through hardships.”

Vangie is on her first national deployment and loves going out with the emergency response vehicles. Vangie and the disaster mental health team’s presence on the ERVs brings a truly holistic Red Cross response that includes not only critical supplies like food, water and blankets, but equally important emotional support and comfort to residents impacted by Super Storm Sandy.

“I loved being out at Breezy Point … knocking on doors and asking people how are they doing,” said Vangie. Their response was, ‘It’s so good to see a Red Cross person here.’”

Volunteer Spotlight: Todd Mosely

Todd Mosley, ARC Volunteer from Philadelphia, Mississippi is on his first assignment as a Shelter Manager. However, by listening to the praise from the shelter guests you would never know it is his first DR. In interviewing the guests they ...used words like awesome, compassionate, caring.

Raquel Bloomfield, Yonkers resident, displaced from her condemned apartment building, said "We love it here in the shelter. We feel safe. Todd makes us feel valued, no matter our circumstances. He is compassionate and listens to our needs. He even had a Halloween party and parade for the children. My kids don't want to leave."

Todd comes from a social service background and is a Community Response Coordinator in MS. He said, "The core values of the Red Cross parallel what I believe in and how I live my life. I like to spoil the clients, but I can also be firm when there are issues. I try to put myself in their situation. I love this job."

From the looks of the neat and orderly shelter, his action and attitude exemplify why we are all here.

Volunteer Spotlight: Krystal Richardson

by Giselle Gomez

With a bright, neon colored snow flake beanie and gloves, Red Cross volunteer Krystal Richardson from Laurel, Mississippi patiently waited in her emergency response vehicle. Her vehicle was one of several loading up at Ford Tilden in Queens, NY with food, water, blankets and supplies to be distributed throughout the impacted areas of Breezy Point and the Rockaways.

Having experienced Katrina, the 23-year old is all too familiar with disasters. “We went through something similar to this. We were out of power for three weeks,” said Krystal. “The Red Cross was one of the first responders, giving us food and water.”

Krystal has been volunteering with her local East Central Chapter in Mississippi for two years. Her enthusiasm and passion to give back to others is evident. “I love going out and helping people,” said Krystal.

Shelter Residents Find Refuge in Yonkers

Shelter Resident Racquel Bloomfield and Red Cross Volunteer Carl Kologie

Red Cross shelter resident Racquel Bloomfield, holding back tears, said, “Thank God for the Red Cross, without them we wouldn’t know what to do.”

The Yonkers, N.Y., native, her three children, Airiel, 17, Kenneth, 12, and Gabrielle, 5, along with her mother, Lorna Bailey, were driven out of their home by Superstorm Sandy.

“We were so scared, with the rain and trees hitting the windows. And by 8 o’clock that evening a fire started,” apparently triggered by sparking electrical outlets.

Fire officials forced the family to evacuate and they were sent to the Police Athletic League building on North Broadway Street were a shelter had been opened and was managed by the American Red Cross.

“They have been so wonderful to us. The food has been good and every-one is very courteous.”

Red Cross workers were sent to accompany the family to neighboring Mt. Vernon to help her pick up necessary medications. But Gabrielle begged her mother, “Let’s go back to the place (shelter) where we were living.”

Bloomfield said her children pleaded, “Let’s go back, we love it there.”

She added, “This is the safest place that we can be. We feel so secure.”

This Red Cross shelter hosted lots of fun activities for the kids to lessen the pain of being away from home. Residents look to this shelter as a bright spot of blue sky.

Cadet Response Team Members Help at Long Island Hurricane Shelter

Members of the Cadet Response Team gather for a “class photo” after completing American Red Cross training on sheltering.

They were immediately assigned to the Red Cross shelter at East Hampton High School in Long Island where they helped set up the shelter in anticipation of arrival of evacuees displaced by Hurricane Sandy. The cadets subsequently helped with shelter feeding and logistics.

"The experience proved valuable for the team," said Virginia Lopez who oversees the non-profit group with her husband, Ralph.

Cadet Response Team provides children and youth the know-how of military training and teamwork so they can better serve their communities. With more than 50 years combined experience in the military, cadetting, and search and rescue, Lopez said the program offers a well-rounded educational and physical training that can improve safety and well-being.

She adds that the program brings real world military training experience so children and youth learn to do more on their own, and for their communities.

Photo: Virginia Lopez, Angel Duran, Giovanni Marrero, Robert Perez, and Ralph Perez