Local Red Cross putting local immediate response team together

The American Red Cross’ local chapters across the country have spent time over the last few years trying to build partnerships within each community with non-profit organizations, churches, independent medical agencies, local housing agencies and other groups to create a quick response system within their local areas in the face of natural disasters.

Curtis Morman, Bree Houstin and Lisa Peoples are the team heading up ARC’s Community Adaptation Program.

“It was actually initiated in 2022, but we’re working to get our name and mission out in the community to develop as many partnerships as we can throughout Jackson and Madison County,” Morman said. 

Morman and Houston recently spoke at Jackson Rotary Club’s weekly meeting, and they’re looking to speak in front of any and every group that will listen to what they’re trying to do.

“The fact is we’re trying to partner with as many people as we can because if a disaster were to happen here that leaves people without a roof over their heads and/or food or medication, Red Cross can’t always be there immediately,” Houston said. “So the Community Adaptation Program is meant to be a bridge between when the need arises to when more permanent help from American Red Cross can get here to help.”

Different groups that are associated with meeting different types of needs are already a part of the team including Keep My Hood Good, Community Café, Operation Hope, ARM, Browns Creek Baptist District Association, Dream Center, East Madison County Community Association, Gospel Temple Church, Greer Golden Denmark West Cultural and Historical Society, Jonah Affordable Housing, Kingdom Builder Christian Center Church, Lane College and Unity Temple Ministries.

“Our aim is to get organizations whose mission is the immediate local area because organizations that are bigger might have to go somewhere else to help,” Morman said. “It’s our job as each Community Adaptation team to get people committed to here when ‘here’ needs help.”

If a natural disaster like a tornado, flood or earthquake were to happen in Madison County, the team has three main concerns – housing, hunger and healthcare.

“Do people need homes? If so, how do we connect them with those resources?” Peoples said. “Do people have access to food? If not, our goal is to get connections to food on our team so that connection is quick.

“And then the same thing with healthcare. Do people need medical attention? If someone lost their home in a flood, did they forget to get their medication out? We want to be able to connect them to that as well to minimize the disruption as much as possible.”

Houston said there’s a fourth component as well.

“Mental health is pretty critical after a natural disaster,” Houston said. “There’s financial stress or if you’ve lost a loved one or everything you own, that’s a big thing that can cause stress, so if you just need someone to talk to so you can get through it, we want those people part of our team to so we can be a help that way.”

Morman said anyone interested in helping can do so by logging on to redcross.org .

“There’s a drop-down menu to volunteer, and you can go from there and get started,” Morman said. 

Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news