Red Cross of South Carolina looking for volunteers

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - As you think about your New Year’s resolutions, the Red Cross is encouraging you to make yours giving back to the community as a Red Cross volunteer.

There are nearly 2,000 South Carolinians who volunteer, and they’re all a vital part of the organization’s efforts, according to the Red Cross.

Just a few of the types of volunteers they need include blood donor ambassadors who help at blood drives by greeting people, registering people and answering questions; transportation specialists who deliver blood from Red Cross facilities to local hospitals; disaster action team members who provide emergency response to local disasters, including fires; and service to the Armed Forces clinic volunteers who help patients in military treatment clinics.

The only requirement to volunteer is being at least 13 years old, Lisa Miller-Wills, the Regional Volunteer Services Officer with Red Cross South Carolina says. Those interested can talk with the Red Cross before volunteering to figure out exactly what role will work best.

“When they come through the system, they get screened,” Miller-Wills says. “We have volunteer screeners, which I love. Our screener volunteers can actually help them go through the list of things we need and let them know what those jobs entail and how much time commitment there is, which is a big part of it, and they can make a decision from there.”

In 2022, volunteers have responded to more than 1,700 disasters in South Carolina, helping out nearly 5,800 people, according to the Red Cross.

While many volunteers assist locally, there are multiple ways South Carolina Red Cross volunteers have made a difference this year beyond the Palmetto State.

“When the floods happened in Tennessee, we had volunteers go there,” Miller-Wills says. “We have volunteers who went to [Hurricane] Ian when it first happened and are still there. We are still sending people because that need is going to be there for a long time. We’ve had a ton of people in Florida volunteering, and we’ve also had some go to Puerto Rico.”

Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to start volunteering.

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