Red Cross Volunteer Uses Time in the U.S. to Give Back

Stranded in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Holly Ebdon found herself looking for something to occupy her time when she discovered an opportunity with the American Red Cross.

Holly was visiting the U.S. in February 2020 on vacation when her flight back to England was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Holly’s Visitors Visa expired before she had the chance to return home, so she applied for a Green Card with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services but was told she was not able to work in the U.S. until her Green Card was issued.

As a former teacher in England, Holly looked for ways to use her experience through volunteer teaching opportunities. That’s when she discovered Prepare with Pedro, a Red Cross initiative that teaches Kindergarten – 2nd graders disaster preparedness at an age-appropriate level. Holly says the local Red Cross chapter in the Central and Southern Ohio Region also asked her if she would be interested in becoming a part of the Disaster Action Team (DAT), volunteers who help assist those who are impacted by home fires.

In addition to becoming a DAT volunteer, Holly began deploying to national disasters. Her first response was in September 2020 to Louisiana where she helped the Red Cross provide relief efforts to survivors of Hurricane Laura. Holly says the rest was history, as she continued to deploy to various disasters across the U.S. while awaiting her Green Card – which was finally issued in July 2022.

“I always say to other people who say to me, ‘it’s fantastic what you’re doing’ but I say it’s fantastic what Red Cross has done for me,” said Holly. “I’m so grateful to American Red Cross…they have saved me in so many different ways. I couldn’t get back to England, I couldn’t work, I was literally lost in America, and they have scooped me up and taken me into their arms and I feel so thankful to the Red Cross, I could cry, literally cry.”

Holly served as a staff shelter manager during the recent flooding in Eastern Kentucky. She lives with friends in Ohio; however, she says she is only there approximately 10 weeks out of the year as she stays busy deploying to help with disasters with Red Cross. Holly has a planned trip home to England in late November to see her parents for the first time in almost three years, but says she plans to return to the U.S. and continue working with the Red Cross.

You can learn more about volunteering with the Red Cross at redcross.org/volunteer