Giving the gift of time this holiday season

The holidays are a time for loved ones to gather, to share food and stories that inspire the holiday spirit; unfortunately, some find themselves faced with tragedy.  Thankfully the American Red Cross (ARC) and its surplus of volunteers are always there to lend a helping hand. 

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the peak day for home fires, followed by Christmas Day, the day before Thanksgiving then Christmas Eve.  Cooking equipment and decorations are involved in roughly 20% of these fires.  The ARC is no stranger to providing immediate relief for families displaced by misfortune.  I had the pleasure of speaking with Chuck Haupt, a retired photojournalist, and an American Red Cross Disaster Assistance Team (DAT) volunteer. 

Mr. Haupt remembers one specific fire, that happened in Binghamton, NY the day after Christmas. “It was a five-family apartment building, all of the families were displaced, I had to help”.  Once volunteers like Chuck arrive on a scene, they locate a warm, dry place to get the families inside out of the weather. On this particular day the local Loyal Order of the Moose opened its doors and welcomed the families in, while Chuck and the other volunteers were interviewing the families and tending to their immediate needs.   No sooner did Chuck get his interviews underway, he realized that one of the families did not speak English, “they were very skittish to meet with anyone”, he recalls.  They couldn’t understand that we were there to help, they considered that we might be there to deport them as some suspected they were not in the country legally.  They were assured that the Red Cross’s intent was simply to help! 

The Red Cross provides immediate aid to individuals during a disaster which can include funds for temporary housing, food, and clothing.  Comfort kits are also in huge demand.  These kits contain personal care items like toothpaste, a washcloth, and a comb.  Mental health referrals are also given on an as needed basis along with a directory on how to replace their driver’s license, insurance cards and the likes.

Mr. Haupt, why do you volunteer on holidays when you can be home, with your own family?  “It is simple, someone is hurting out there.  We are volunteers, this is what we signed up for, to get that call for help, whether it is a holiday or any other day that ends in a “y”, they need help”.  

“For me to take three hours away from my family on a holiday to help someone is the right thing to do, I can return to my home and be with my family, they have no home to return to”.  “It reassures us what the holidays are all about – and it’s not about the material things” Chuck stated.  He encourages people to help others this holiday season by donating or volunteering.  

For some people volunteering is about giving but for the likes of you, it is a way of living. Thank you, Mr. Haupt, for all you do!

To learn more about volunteering with the American Red Cross or to donate, visit RedCross.org.

Story by Holly Gassler, American Red Cross of Western New York communications volunteer