HOPE & RESILIENCE ›› strong
KRISTA FARLEY W CHARLESTON, KANAWHA COUNTY Delivering the Mission The Red Cross brings much- needed relief. communities across west virginia count on the American Red Cross for help every day, and supporting them is at the heart of what we do. The work of the Red Cross never stops, even during this coronavirus crisis, and they remain focused on delivering their life-saving mission each day. This would not be possible without the dedication and commitment of Red Cross volunteers, who make up 90 percent of the workforce. In March and April, about 175 local Red Cross volunteers worked nearly 6,000 hours in delivering the Red Cross mission in West Virginia. Red Cross volunteers have helped the Red Cross overcome many challenges during this trying time and have worked in new and innovative ways so that disaster- affected families receive help and hope, so life-saving blood is available when patients need it most, and so veterans, military members, and their families continue to receive these critical services. “Our volunteers are the heartbeat of the Red Cross,” said Erica Mani, regional chief executive officer for the American Red Cross Central Appalachia Region. “They give of themselves to help those in need and, in the face of these challenges, they have risen to the occasion and continue to serve the people of West Virginia. They provide help and hope to those in need every day, and we are so grateful for their commitment and dedication, especially at this challenging time.” The Red Cross is continuing to respond to home fires and other disasters every day by providing families who have lost everything with the support they need in the midst of this pandemic. To help keep everyone safe and follow social distancing guidelines, Red Cross volunteers are working with local fire departments to connect with families by phone or video calls. They are offering a sympathetic ear and linking families to support such as hotel stays, health and mental health services, and emergency financial assistance. The physical presence may not be the same, but providing help and hope
For the Love of Books Taylor Books feels the love of its community. If you’ve been to Charleston and you like reading, or coffee, or live music, more than likely you’ve been to Taylor Books. And if you’ve been once, you’ve probably been back. Taylor Books is that modern- day rarity, an independent bookstore, and its comfy mix of books and magazines, coffee drinks and pastries, and book signings and live performances have elevated it over its quarter-century to a community hub. As the pandemic loomed in mid- March, Taylor Books moved quickly to cancel events and ship book orders for free. Soon after, it created an online storefront and closed the shop. When Taylor Books’ application for a government loan was turned down, community member Jamie Miller launched a GoFundMe campaign on April 18 to keep the business afloat. The goal? $10,000. The response? Goal met in just 7 hours. And donations continued. By mid-May, 570 supporters had donated more than $25,000. “We are at a loss for words,” owner Ann Taylor Saville wrote on Facebook to the shop’s supporters. “We are so eager to see you all when this is over.”
continues. Volunteers have also embraced technology to participate in meetings utilizing video conferencing to stay connected. During the pandemic, Roy Grimmett, a Red Cross volunteer from the Huntington area, has assisted nearly 20 families who have experienced a home fire as well as others who experienced wind and storm damage to their homes. Roy said, “In the COVID-19 environment, Red Cross volunteers have shown exemplary skills serving our clients. We have followed all requirements and regulations to assure our own and the clients’ health have not been compromised, all while providing the personal care and empathy the American Red Cross represents.” The Red Cross has implemented additional precautions at blood drives to ensure the safety of employees, volunteers, and donors. These include checking the temperature of staff and donors entering a drive to make sure they are healthy, following social distancing practices between donors, wearing face masks or coverings for both staff and donors, increasing enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment, and emphasizing the importance of appointments to help manage the flow of donors at drives. The Red Cross need for volunteers is constant and continues to evolve as we navigate this health crisis. Please rest assured that we are working with public health officials to help keep local communities and our volunteers safe. Volunteer opportunities include supporting blood drives and delivering much-needed services to your community. The Red Cross even has a wide variety of remote (work-from- home) opportunities available. To learn more about volunteer opportunities in your area, visit redcross.org/volunteer.
34 wvl • the community issue 2020
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