The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies through the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in September, Regional Executive Terry Stigdon put the Red Cross mission into action when she deployed to help those impacted by disaster in North Carolina.
“I think about the people I interacted with almost every day,” said Terry. “It’s an honor to serve.”
As a registered nurse, Terry used her nursing skills to serve as a member of the disaster health services team during her deployment.
“Deploying as a nurse is very much on the frontline, working face to face with people who have experienced disaster and working with them every single day,” said Terry.
The Red Cross provides food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, health services and more to help people in their greatest time of need. Terry arrived in the Carolinas soon after Hurricane Helene, and said many people were still grappling with the situation.
“There were people still in shock at the shelter. They were talking and able to feed themselves, but they couldn’t even begin to think of what to do. They were still processing, and a lot were telling their stories,” said Terry.
As people talked, Terry listened. She offered hugs and support as needed. Terry was deployed for nearly three weeks and says it was a meaningful experience.
“It really spoke to my heart of service and how, traditionally, I serve other people,” said Terry.
As a Regional Executive, Terry aims to deploy at least once a year, depending on the need. In August 2023, Terry deployed as an elected official liaison in the aftermath of wildfires in Maui. She encourages all volunteers to consider deploying to help those impacted by disaster.
“If it’s something that you really, really want to do, plan ahead. Find blocks of time when you would be available. Go through the training and figure out what you want to do,” said Terry. “You really do receive back more than you give. You really, really do.”
The Red Cross responds to about 65,000 disasters a year. Large disasters like hurricanes, floods and wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense as extreme weather worsens. Become a Red Cross volunteer and help those impacted by disaster. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to learn more.
Written by Janie Bohlmann, regional communications manager.