“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to help people”

By Pat Kondas

After joining the American Red Cross about four years ago, Tara Cardinal from Rhode Island is on her first national Red Cross deployment. And on Day 1, she learned that flexibility in a disaster is key. 

Tara was deployed to Bowling Green on December 18 to work as a Disaster Action Team member to help cover the local disaster responder team while they sheltered and cared for their community. After a couple of days of no home fire response calls, she decided to spend her on-call time making herself extra useful. She volunteered with another agency running a “store” where people affected by the tornadoes could pick up clothes, household goods, kids' stuff, “even dog food.” Tara sorted items and helped shoppers, including helping a five-year-old little girl find newborn clothes for her doll.

In the spirit of flexibility, Tara ran into a fellow Red Cross volunteer and she shared she wanted to do more to help. "He asked if I knew computers. I said yes. Then asked if I knew about spreadsheets. I said yes. So for the rest of the day, I was doing client intake. I met a lot of clients who were displaced... I made someone smile." 

As for being away from home over the holidays, Tara says, “ I thought it would be harder, and I'm not sure why it's not; but in a way – for me – I'm really happy to be here.” One of the first things she did after arriving was attend the candlelight vigil in Bowling Green to mourn with the community. She said various people spoke and the message was one of hope. The lasting impression she was left with was that “everybody is so helping and trying to do what they can do, and they are focusing on being there for each other.”

She has found the Red Cross a good fit, saying, “Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to help people.” Her job back home is as a caregiver assisting elderly clients. As for her experience at the Red Cross, she says, “Everybody I have met at the Red Cross have positive attitudes. The things that they teach us – like to meet the clients where they are – are really great. And I'm very proud to be a part of that... We all just pitch in together. Something has to be done and we just work together.”

Thank you, Tara, for pitching in and being a part of the Red Cross.

When disasters strike, it is a team effort. Massive disasters like these tornadoes leave behind an incredible amount of need and no single organization can do it alone. It's thanks to the collaboration between our community partners and volunteers, we can all provide relief to our communities. 

To get involved with the Red Cross, head to redcross.org/volunteer