When Christin Newlon (pictured left), an American Red Cross volunteer, saw the news about Hurricane Ian striking Florida in September 2022, she knew she wanted to help. She raised her hand to deploy from Paso Robles, California to Arcadia, Florida and she specifically made plans to go around Thanksgiving.
Christin serves many roles at the Red Cross. She is a Youth Club Coordinator for San Luis Obispo County high schools and universities, helps in shelters during local disasters and can now add recovery caseworker to her volunteer resume after Hurricane Ian.
With millions of impacted residents left reeling in Ian’s aftermath, dedicated volunteers worked around the clock for weeks to provide safe shelter, relief and comfort for people forced to leave their homes.
There was a need for intake workers to help provide recovery services. “I quickly learned the training, and then I ended up helping onboard 200 incoming volunteers arriving in Florida to help begin a massive recovery effort,” she shared.
Powered by the generosity of countless donors who gave to help people when their lives were turned upside down by Hurricane Ian, the Red Cross has provided financial assistance and more to help some of the hardest-hit residents get back on their feet.
These are some stories of the families Christin helped.
Sebastian Wells was already carrying a big burden when Hurricane Ian passed over his grandparents’ house. A year ago, he moved into the home to care for his grandparents who suffer from dementia. “I’m glad I can do it,” he said. “They adopted me when I was a boy and had nowhere to go. Grandpa worked two jobs to support us, so helping them now is the least I can do.”
But the hurricane has stretched them to the limit. Unknown to Sebastian, the Red Cross disaster assessment team stopped by and surveyed the damage and now, as a result, a Red Cross team is providing financial assistance. “I’m amazed the Red Cross came to our house to see if I need help,” he said. He plans to use the funds to repair the roof and help catch up on bills. “I’m really grateful the Red Cross went out of their way to help us. It means a lot.”
Gonzalina and her daughter Selena thought they’d just have to find a way on their own, somehow, to overcome the damage to their home caused by Hurricane Ian. But, unexpectantly, American Red Cross volunteers showed up at their Florida home to deliver great news: they were eligible for financial assistance to help them recover.
The family had moved into a shed on their property after the hurricane because the roof to their house was so badly damaged. They expected to wait months to save enough money to make repairs. Interpreting for her Spanish-speaking mother, Selena said, “We’re really grateful for this help and we never expected it. But it will make a big difference in how long we have to wait to move back into our house. Thank you, Red Cross.”
“I’m so happy,” Rosalba said. “I thought this might be another scam, but this time it’s for real, the Red Cross really did come looking for me.”
When Red Cross volunteers Christin Newlon and Coleen Kulkin called on the phone, and then showed up at the door her house, she began to cry. She explained that her husband, who is a foreman at a local agricultural operation, just didn’t have enough energy left at the end of the day to do much work on the gaping hole in the side of their storm-damaged home.
And, as the mother of five children, it is nearly impossible to stretch the family income to cover groceries, much less purchase building supplies. “I’m going to use this money to buy food,” she said. “That will help us devote more of our income to putting our house back together. My dad gave us this house, it used to be where I came to visit him. I want to fix it back up like it used to be. This financial assistance will make a big difference.”
As the Red Cross prepares for another active hurricane and wildfire season, people like you can make a difference. Join our mission at redcross.org.
Photos by Scott Dalton/American Red Cross and Stories by Kim Mailes/American Red Cross.
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