Julianne Abbott is a Lifelong Volunteer Determined to Help Others
By Alison Votaw, Red Cross Communications Volunteer
Julianne Abbott has dedicated her life to helping those in need and shows no signs of slowing down.
She has been to Africa and Asia several times over the course of her life to help refugees in war-torn areas, and when she retired from a career in nursing, she realized she still wanted to continue helping.
“I felt more useful. I think that I have a lot to bring to the table to help them with my previous experience.” Julianne shared, reflecting on her journey into humanitarian work.
She did research on organizations that she could participate in, and she kept coming back to the American Red Cross because she had witnessed their work firsthand over the years.
Her final decision came when she stopped by the Red Cross booth at a local community event. She met a volunteer named Jessica who helped her get connected with the Red Cross, and she’s been active with the team for the last two years.
Julianne’s journey began with local volunteer events, but she soon received an urgent email seeking volunteers for Hurricane Milton. This was an opportunity she couldn’t refuse. Within 24 hours, she was on the last flight to Orlando before the airport closed ahead of Milton’s landfall.
While there, she joined hundreds of volunteers from over 100 different organizations stationed within an Orlando-based hotel. She witnessed newer volunteers training in different areas within the first 72 hours, as the historic back-to-back hurricanes had stretched resources thin across the battered areas.
After the roads had been deemed clear, Julianne headed to her first shelter at a Methodist church in Tampa. There she assisted individuals who had lost their homes due to flooding and others who were housing insecure.
At the Tampa shelter, Julianne had the opportunity to help a woman who was pregnant. The staff worked together to get the woman to the nearest operational hospital safely.
After a week’s stay at that shelter, Julianne stayed overnight at the Red Cross HQ in Tampa, Florida. Julianne could not believe her eyes when she saw how well-organized and thought-out it was.
“I can’t state enough how impressive it was watching all the different disciplines – seeing all the logistic teams and the leadership staff orchestrating where everyone needed to go.”
Julianne Abbott
Her second shelter was located in Charlotte, Florida there she met an elderly woman whose story has stuck with her. The woman had been wheelchair-bound for about a year at the time when the hurricane struck, leaving her stranded inside her home, which was full of two feet of water. The woman didn’t have the ability to call anyone and didn’t think emergency services could reach her. A few months previously, she had sold her father’s house across the street from hers. Thankfully during the hurricane, the new owners decided to check on the elderly woman and found her stuck inside her home. Together, they were able to help her out and get her to safety in a Red Cross shelter.
Using her nursing skills, Julianne advocated for individuals needing medical and psychiatric help, coordinating support with Red Cross partners for those in urgent need.
“Everybody has a great attitude – all the volunteers have a heart to help the displaced people and broken-hearted.”
After returning from her deployment, Julianne eagerly awaits for her next mission. She aspires to take on a spiritual care role, believing in the profound impact of emotional support in crisis situations.
“I really think everyone should volunteer or donate to the Red Cross because it’s the most impressive NGO I’ve ever worked with.”
Her enthusiasm is infectious, and she often reminds her friends in the tech industry that there are roles for them within the logistics team, because volunteering in your local community can make a significant difference.
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