- Stories

Someone to Lean On: American Red Cross Always Ready

Natural disasters continue to take their toll. Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Floods and other major events. It seems that catastrophic natural disasters have been even more common in recent years, and the American Red Cross Southeast Louisiana Chapter does more than talk about preparedness. They live it by responding to thousands of disasters and other community needs each year in support of the 1.6 million people who live in 12 area parishes.

“Over the past five years, the Red Cross has learned from experiences we had due to hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  We have expanded the reach of our chapter by working with a diverse array of national and local organizations that can lend us expertise and human resources,” said Kay Wilkins, Southeast Louisiana Chapter chief executive officer. “As we now well know, the government and the Red Cross will never be big enough to do it all – we must all play a role in helping our communities be prepared.”

That’s why Dow St. Charles Operations stepped up to partner with the local Red Cross and W.W. Grainger Inc. to launch “Ready When the Time Comes”, a program designed to recruit and train employees of local businesses throughout Southeast Louisiana to serve as Red Cross disaster volunteers who can be mobilized quickly.

Since the program was introduced in 2001, more than 10,000 volunteers have been trained, with support from 450 business and organizations in 40 communities across the country. Program volunteers receive free, specialized training in crucial disaster response such as shelter operations, large-scale feeding efforts, and damage assessment.

“Recognizing corporate sponsors like Dow is an honor,” said Kay Wilkins, Southeast Louisiana Chapter chief executive officer. “These special people put their Red Cross skills into action every day and save or sustain lives in our community.”
“Ready When the Time Comes is the perfect partnership opportunity,” said Steve Milligan, Dow St. Charles Operations vice president and site leader. “The Red Cross is Dow’s organization of choice when responding to disasters in the U.S. We have worked together many times because we both believe in making our community the best it can be. This program has an added attraction, though, because it allows us to reach out to our neighbors during critical points in their lives when they need someone to lean on. We’re proud to be part of this program.”