I have loved this opportunity to volunteer with the American Red Cross, and I am going to continue volunteering beyond this. This experience has been so rewarding and has promoted my personal growth. My main interactions have been community engagement with the blood donation drives, assisting with donor registrations, providing information, answering questions, and offering support during the donation process. I also helped with events, raised awareness about the organization’s mission, and encouraged others to contribute. I have shared my passion for helping people and built relationships with other volunteers, local community members, and other organizations. I had the opportunity to be in the Norfolk Illumination parade at the end of November, representing the Red Cross, and it was so much fun to see the streets full of people clapping for us. It was a memory made! Other interactions that I did not do a lot with is disaster response training and emergency response. I can do that one day, though, and I am excited. What I loved most about this experience is how the organization offers a variety of opportunities to develop valuable skills that benefit my personal and professional life. I have learned how to respond to emergencies, like providing immediate relief during natural disasters, accidents, and public health crises and handling high-stress situations. The other skills I gained or improved on are communication, time management, effectively working with team members, problem-solving, cultural competency, and professional development.
I look forward to still being a part of the Red Cross team.