Making an Impact: How One Mental Health Volunteer is Making a Difference During the Pandemic

Throughout Red Cross Month we are spotlighting those volunteers within the Western New York region who help to make a difference in our community and truly define the humanitarian spirit that shapes the mission of the American Red Cross.

As we mark one year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Allison Keller and her extraordinary work as a Disaster Mental Health volunteer showcase the importance of mental health services and human connection and her efforts are one of many reasons why the Red Cross has been able to fulfill its mission in the face of a global pandemic.

For Keller, her volunteer journey began in 2014 when she was looking for opportunities to give back to her new community following a move from Rochester. Originally starting out in Disaster Relief, Keller continued to look for ways to utilize her skills as a school psychologist and eventually made the transition to Mental Health Services.

Shortly after COVID-19 hit last year, her first assignment in Disaster Mental Health was with a start-up pilot group, where she offered phone calls of support and resources to families who were impacted by COVID-19. 

At that time, Keller like many others, didn’t know what to expect.

“We respond to disasters all the time, but in this case it was a worldwide disaster,” she recalled. “People would need face masks just to go outside their homes, but nobody had face masks. So what were they supposed to do? It was hard that they couldn’t go anywhere without the masks.”

These days, Keller says it can be a challenge to create connections with those around us while social distancing for our own safety. For Keller and her fellow volunteers, though, those efforts have and continue to make a difference. Since the onset of the pandemic, licensed mental health and spiritual care volunteers like Keller have provided emotional support, psychological first aid and referrals to community resources. In total, they have made more than 53,000 mental health and spiritual care contacts to help people during disasters. Additionally, trained volunteers continue to provide free crisis counseling through the Virtual Family Assistance Center, which offers support to grieving families during COVID-19.

Keller is quick to remind those she encounters that their emotional and mental wellbeing is equally as important as our physical health. In the COVID era, staying safe and dealing with our new normal can be stressful. It’s Red Cross volunteers like Allison Keller who can be a shoulder to lean on during these challenging times. 

If you were inspired by Allison’s story and would like to learn about ways you can make a difference and volunteer in your community visit RedCross.org. 

Story by: Maggie Wurth, American Red Cross