It's just one way the Red Cross helps locally and nationally during disasters.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, several major apartment fires in Fargo, four hurricanes on the Gulf Coast and wildfires in Oregon and California, the local chapter is "urgently" in need of more volunteers during what local executive director Gretchen Hjelmstad calls "unprecedented times."
The Red Cross isn't the only area nonprofit organization in need of volunteers.
The list is long, said Lexi Oestreich, program director for the F-M Area Foundation who works with numerous nonprofits.
She said some organizations are "pivoting" in the way they offer assistance because of the shortage of volunteers. They are either scaling back services, reexamining their programs or hiring staff to help.
"It's kind of detrimental from a community standpoint for those who need these programs," she said.
Oestreich said there are "a lot of opportunities out there" for people who want to help.
Another well-known volunteer organization — The Salvation Army — is also needing volunteers for its annual Red Kettle fundraiser that starts in-person collections this coming Thursday, Nov. 13.
The organization, which also helped at the south Fargo fire early Thursday morning by wheeling out its food and refreshment truck, could certainly use more volunteers for its biggest fundraiser of the year, said Kristi Simmons, volunteer coordinator for the local chapter.
Safety precautions are planned, she said.
One of its major operations in the area is providing daily lunches to those in need, but they have stopped in-person serving, reducing the need for volunteers. Instead, they provide meals through a window.
Simmons said they still need volunteers to help with increasing requests for other services.
As an example, the number of lunches served locally doubled from about 80-100 last year to 160-180 this year.
In the Salvation Army's Northern Division in all of North Dakota and Minnesota, the organization served 325,000 people last year, and they estimate they may help as many as 825,000 by the end of the year.
Also on the long list of those organizations needing help is the local Meals on Wheels program that provides lunches to senior citizens.
Brian Arett, executive director of Valley Senior Services, said due to the pandemic the number of meals served has increased 27% since the virus hit, thus boosting the need for people to deliver the meals.
The pandemic conversely has also "significantly impacted our volunteer pool," he said. The number of meals served daily has grown from about 500 to as many as 800 some days.
People don't have to help each day, but even once a week would help, he said. Volunteers pick up meals at 11 a.m. at one of three locations in Fargo and make about 10 stops on their route.
As the winter approaches and numbers of virus cases continue to increase, the situation isn't getting any better.
The Red Cross since Sept. 1 has flown 200 volunteers from the tri-state region, including 31 from the local chapter, to help in the hurricane and wildfire tragedies.
Hjelmstad said they have been helping people forced to evacuate their homes or who lost their homes in those faraway states find safe shelter and get three meals a day.
A couple drove the local Red Cross emergency response vehicle to Oregon to help.
Hjelmstad said the biggest needs nationally are for help with emergency shelters as well as medical and mental health volunteers after tragedies strike.
Local helpers are certainly needed, too, she said.
After the fire that struck Thursday, along with another major apartment fire in north Fargo about two weeks earlier, displaced residents needed a place to live. Local volunteer case workers can help them identify recovery resources and food sources.
On Friday, Hjelmstad said volunteers also provided teddy bears to the children affected by the fire.
"We're always looking for help," she said.
There are about 190 volunteers in the regional chapter Red Cross that covers 38 counties in northwestern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota.
Those wishing to help can call the regional Red Cross volunteer line at 612-871-7676.
Volunteering can be so rewarding, Arett said, noting many of those receiving Meals on Wheels don't have family close by and, most of the time, have little to no social interaction other than the delivery of these meals.
"For this reason, the gratitude shown by the recipients of these meals is invaluable to those who volunteer," he said.
Volunteers must be 18 years of age or accompanied by a parent or authorized adult. Prior to volunteering, a background check release form, photo release form and volunteer application need to be completed.
For more information, contact Valley Senior Services at 701-293-1440 or visit ValleySeniorServices.org.
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