“My husband
and son are disabled, so advocacy is something I’ve been doing on their behalf
for years,” says American Red Cross volunteer Dana Goldsmith. “To do so on
behalf of the Red Cross is really exciting.”
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| Volunteers J.R. Raines of Indiana and Dana Goldsmith of Colorado are leading Disability Integration during the Indiana flood response in spring 2018. "This is long overdue, and it overlaps with everything I learned in other activities," Goldsmith says. "We talk to everyone on a relief operation." Photo and story by: Jay Bonafede, American Red Cross |
Goldsmith is
advocating as the Disability Integration lead for her home Red Cross chapter, region,
and division at home in Colorado. In late February 2018, she deployed to
Indiana to help lead Disability Integration during the flood relief operation,
along with local volunteer J.R. Raines.
“There’s an
expertise level that comes with people that live with it every day. Who to
call, where to find resources,” Goldsmith says. “It’s about bringing that
disability piece to the table in everything we do. That’s our goal.”
Disability
Integration, which the Red Cross began about a year and a half ago, means more
than simply making sure shelters are accessible. In Indiana, for example,
Goldsmith and Raines are putting together a resource guide for the region to
identify additional support available for people with disabilities that will
help long after this disaster response is wrapped up, and are working to build
relationships with the Center for Independent Living to use their facilities
for future training.
“We’re
trying to make volunteerism more inclusive,” Goldsmith says. “Training,
classes, locations, it all has to be accessible. People want to help, but
there’s not a lot of agencies that can do that. We can.”
“I do a lot of positions with the Red Cross,” says Raines.
“Disaster Action Team, Services to Armed Forces. I wanted to be in the
military, this is my way to be in the military.”
