Experiencing New Cultures
In 2021 , Jean Brothers boarded a flight to Texas , her destination a U . S . military base where Afghan refugees would soon arrive seeking shelter .
Brothers , a native of Parkersburg , WV , and a 15-year veteran of the Red Cross , has more than 40 deployments under her belt . She has set up and managed countless shelters both in the Mountain State and around the country , but none of that fully prepared her for how this deployment would tug at her heartstrings .
For the Afghan repatriation operation , the Red Cross ’ primary role was to assist with sheltering and make sure the clients had clothing , hygiene items and bedding , as well as physical and mental health support . Brothers was on the ground when the first bus of refugees arrived . Many were women and children , and all had been traveling for up to a week .
“ The clients arrived with mostly only the clothes on their back ,” she remembers . “ They were grateful for the clean bedding , towels and a shower . The mothers were running out of necessities , so they were happy we were there with supplies for the infants .”
It was an emotionally difficult deployment for Brothers . “ I cried a lot at night because of the hardships the clients told us about ,” she says . “ I can ’ t imagine having to leave my home , family and country with only the clothes on my back . We were advised by the military that because of the Afghanistan culture and COVID , we couldn ’ t give hugs , but the Afghan women would initiate a hug , and we always returned the gesture . They needed that human contact .”
A Red Cross shelter volunteer uses American Sign Language to converse with a shelter client in Baton Rouge , LA , after Hurricane Ida .
Photo by Scott Dalton / American Red Cross .
Brothers had a sense of urgency for mobilizing for this operation . “ The Afghan people risked their lives to help our soldiers during the war , and I felt it was only right that I give up my time to help them ,” she says . “ These refugees were in a strange country where a lot of them did not even know the language . As Red Cross volunteers , we provided a friendly attitude and offered hope when they were doubting there was any . They were happy when they saw our red vests , and they could not thank us enough .”
Disaster Deployment
American Red Cross of Central Appalachia Region supported 24 states and the District of Columbia through boots-on-the-ground and virtual disaster deployments in 2020-2021 .
American Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles mobilized in Pensacola , FL , to provide hot meals to disaster victims after Hurricane Sally . Photo by Jaka Vinšek / American Red Cross .
Alabama Arizona California Colorado District of Columbia Florida Illinois Iowa Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Michigan Mississippi
New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina Oregon South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin
Source : American Red Cross of Central Appalachia Region
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