New Milford, Area Red Cross Volunteers Deploying to California and Louisiana

NEW MILFORD, CT — A New Milford man is one of several Connecticut American Red Cross volunteers who are being deployed to California and Louisiana to support Red Cross relief efforts to help with the more than 86,000 people forced to leave their homes due to wildfires that are destroying thousands of acres of land.

Art Hopkins of New Milford will be deploying to serve as a Shelter Supervisor. He is one of nine volunteers who have deployed to support the relief efforts from the Connecticut and Rhode Island region. Harriet McClay of Naugatuck will serve as a Call Center Agent.

Albert Sokaitis and Norma Pabon are being deployed to serve as Sheltering and Feeding Associates in the San Bernardino area. They are two of close to 3,000 Red Cross volunteers in the Connecticut and Rhode Island Region of the American Red Cross, and the first two from Connecticut who have physically deployed to support the relief efforts in California.

Two Red Cross shelters are currently providing refuge to 173 people affected by the San Bernardino County fire and three additional shelters are opening to support people in the Lake County area. Additional volunteers and relief supplies are being mobilized. The Red Cross is coordinately closely with community and government partners to provide further assistance.

The American Red Cross is helping thousands of people in Louisiana affected by the devastating flooding there, likely the worst natural disaster since Superstorm Sandy in 2012. More than 500 disaster volunteers from all over the country are on their way to help in Louisiana. The Red Cross has also mobilized 60 disaster response vehicles, 40,000 ready-to-eat meals and more than two dozen trailer loads of shelter and kitchen supplies.

The Red Cross is also working closely with the entire response community to coordinate relief efforts and deliver help quickly and efficiently, keeping in mind the diverse needs of the community. Some of the organizations sending help to the area include Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, the NAACP, Islamic Relief USA, Church of the Brethren Children’s Disaster Services, Save the Children, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints volunteers.

HOW TO HELP People can donate by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word LAFLOODS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recovery from these disasters.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER People can make a difference in someone’s life by becoming a Red Cross volunteer. To join us, visit redcross.org today to learn more about volunteer opportunities and how to submit a volunteer application.

DOWNLOAD EMERGENCY APP People can download the free Red Cross Emergency App now to be ready in case of a disaster in their community. They can use the app’s “I’m Safe” button to connect with their loved ones and receive emergency alerts and shelter information. The Emergency App can be found in the app store for someone’s mobile device by searching for “American Red Cross” or by going to redcross.org/apps.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org orcruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

Written by Kim Lhotan, Media Relations Specialist, American Red Cross, Farmington

Photo taken by Elaine Vigneault, NOLA Red Cross