KANSAS CITY, Mo. — 45 American Red Cross volunteers from the metro are on the east coast tonight, helping victims recover from the effects of Hurricane Sandy.
They’re sleeping in the same shelters and eating the same food as survivors.
Even before Hurricane Sandy struck the east coast, Red Cross volunteers from Kansas City were there and ready. You may be surprised at the kinds of volunteers who are serving.
“I have an immense amount of respect for these people,” Jamie Dierking with the American Red Cross said. “A lot of them are retired. A lot of them have jobs. One works as EMT. She took time off her own job to go help people on the east coast.”
Kansas Citian Carl Manning is a retired journalist volunteering his services near Manhattan. He has seen the heartbreak firsthand.
“What is not in photos is viseral emotional talking about losing everything but refusing to quit,” Manning said.
Red Cross volunteers drove three trucks from the metro to the east coast. They are using them to go into hard-hit neighborhoods and serve meals. Not only are volunteers from the metro helping on the east coast providing food and shelter for victims of Hurricane Sandy, they are also providing supplies like pet food, diapers, blankets and tolietries.
Superstorm Sandy forced the cancelation of 365 blood drives scheduled for the east coast, so units of blood in the bank are down by 11,000. More Kansas City volunteers left for the east coast on Saturday, and they will stay until survivors are squarely back on their feet.