A Red Cross Volunteer Who Builds Bridges

 

By Mimi Teller

Geno Rosario of Paducah, KY, is not an engineer and doesn’t work in construction. While his bridges do help people get from Point A to Point B, they’re not for transportation – the bridges American Red Cross volunteer Geno Rosario constructs connect Kentucky’s Hispanic population with the disaster assistance available through the Red Cross.

On December 10-11, 2021, thousands of people in Kentucky and neighboring states lost their homes during the devastating tornadoes that struck the region. In response, the Red Cross set up assistance programs for anyone whose home was affected by the storm. The outreach program’s success however relies on those who need support to step forward and register with the Red Cross to receive aid. Too often, however, Hispanic populations don’t take advantage of these services for a variety of reasons, many of which are centered around a lack of familiarity with the Red Cross Mission and how the organization guards everyone’s privacy.

In steps Rosario, a retired, 21-year veteran of the Paducah, KY, fire department, and a 23-year Red Cross volunteer. Born in New York City, and raised in Puerto Rico, Rosario’s fluency in Spanish and familiarity with Hispanic community leaders places him in a position to connect the Latino community with Red Cross support.

“Many Hispanic community members are afraid of anyone even with a little authority, or anyone wearing a uniform” shared Rosario. “You have to gain their trust. You have to go through the trusted leaders in their community to reach people.”

Soon after the tornadoes hit Mayfield on December 10, Rosario called Pastor Jaime Masso at the Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana Church in Mayfield, KY. Rosario learned the church had escaped damage, and that Pastor Masso opened up the church to community members seeking solace and shelter. The following morning, Rosario arranged for the Red Cross to provide water, snacks, cots, and blankets to the church to bring comfort to a community in shock.

When the Red Cross started providing disaster assistance, Rosario feared the information might not reach many in Mayfield’s Hispanic population, a community of over 1,400 people. Rosario’s home in Paducah was nearly 30 miles away from Mayfield, and he needed to find people in Mayfield to connect him with the local Hispanic community.

Rosario reached out again to Pastor Masso, whose congregation’s volunteers were cooking and delivering 150-200 hot meals daily to the Latino/Hispanic communities affected by the storms. Rosario realized the people going into these communities would know exactly who needed assistance from the Red Cross.

Julia Hernandez, a volunteer cook at Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana Church, was among those who connected Geno with dozens of people who otherwise might not learn or know of the multitude of services the Red Cross provided – always with complete confidentiality, and regardless of anyone’s citizenship status. Sheltering, financial assistance, health visits, as well as grief and crisis counseling are among the services available to people who meet with the Red Cross.

Kentucky and Red Cross are lucky to have a bridge builder like Rosario, someone who helps provide passage over an obstacle, something that is otherwise difficult to cross.

If you or someone you know has been affected by disaster, contact the Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS (800- 733-2767). 

Following the December 10-11 series of devastating tornadoes, Geno Rosario (right) connected with Mayfield’s Hispanic community in need of disaster assistance with the help of church ­­­­cook Julia Hernandez (left).