By Kimmy Venter, American Red Cross
Jennifer
Briggs has been a Red Cross volunteer since 2005. When it comes to disaster
responses, it would seem she’s done it all. “I do feeding, I do sheltering, I
do client casework, I’ve done damage assessment – I’m versed in most areas of
the Red Cross,” she explains.
But here in
Columbia, South Carolina, Jennifer is dealing with something she’s never
experienced before. She’s helping the Red Cross respond to a disaster that
destroyed her own home.
Prior to the
recent floods, Jennifer was living in a trailer along the waterfront in
Oriental, NC. Now, she describes her home and most of her belongings as
unsalvageable – inundated by over 14 inches of water. She relocated to
Lexington, SC this week to be close to her family, and instead of dwelling on
what she’s lost, Jennifer has jumped right in to help others in need.
“I moved here
Monday and I came to work for the Red Cross on Tuesday.” Jennifer has been busy
ever since, getting supplies such as water, snacks, clean-up kits and
toiletries in and out of the Red Cross warehouse in Columbia. Warehouse manager
Greg Clover is thrilled to have the help. “[Jennifer] fits in so well, and she
is a very hard worker,” he says. With her support, the warehouse is helping to
get thousands of relief items into the hands of people who need them.
For Jennifer,
volunteering is a way to cope with what she’s been through. “It’s easier for me
to get out here and do something,” she says. “I’m just here to help everybody
else.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP The Red Cross depends on the continued support of the public
to help people affected by disasters big and small. People can help by donating
to Red Cross Disaster Relief to support disasters big and small by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to
90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations to Disaster Relief will be used to
prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.
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