Volunteer Appreciation Month: Augusto Beltran

We often joke that Red Cross volunteers wear many hats. Red Cross South Central Kentucky (SCKY) Board Member, Augusto Beltran, is no exception. Volunteering with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Augusto assists with the Peruvian and Spanish Red Cross. “I came from Peru. My family is from Spain. I grew up in both spaces,” said Augusto.

Augusto started volunteering with the American Red Cross in Maryland 8 years ago. “I came here to learn English. I was a bilingual instructor, I helped translate in the aftermath of house fires,” said Augusto. He moved to Kentucky 4 years ago and became a Red Cross SCKY board member, supporting home fire campaigns and training CPR/First Aid classes. “I support different communities that don’t speak English. I’m a volunteer fire fighter,” said Augusto.

When deadly tornados tore through western Kentucky in December of 2021, Augusto was on scene helping with search and rescue. “I helped the firefighters. I discovered that peopled needed help but didn’t know how to speak English. I remember thinking, ‘I can do more than this.’ I started helping with Red Cross Community Engagement and Partnerships (CEP).” Augusto remembers a woman thanking him for making her feel seen. “She said, ‘thank you so much. We don’t have a voice because nobody understands. We don’t speak English.”

Augusto also works with the United Nations in Human Rights. “I help with human trafficking efforts. Here [in the USA] it’s happening, but nobody sees it. It’s dangerous. It’s important to know about that and educate people to see the signs. [Human trafficking victims] are prisoners and they aren’t free to talk. We identify where it can happen. We show people how to see and prepare for situations.”

With the Spanish Red Cross, Augusto worked on restoring family links. When disaster would strike and people would look for their family members in the hospitals, he would help create that communication. With the Peruvian Red Cross, Augusto worked on his emergency certifications. He remembers going out with search and rescue dogs to find families after an earthquake hit. “I cannot explain the pain they experienced. I just tried to help. We walked for full days without any rest trying to find survivors,” said Augusto.

He has also worked with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), which is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. Augusto lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky with his wife, Patricia. Patricia is an infectious disease doctor who was pivotal during the COVID-19 outbreak. “I am so proud of her. We complement each other. We believe helping people is the best way to better the community,” said Augusto.

In his free time, Augusto likes to travel and go surfing. Here in Kentucky, he rides horses and takes classes in Karate and Taekwondo. Thank you for your humanitarian efforts, Augusto! The Kentucky team is so grateful for your leadership! #VolunteerAppreciationMonth

Learn more about volunteering with the Red Cross at redcross.org/volunteertoday