Red Cross Volunteer Rafael Pena Named as Michigan's AmeriCorps Member of the Month
Rafael Pena is committed to ensuring the preparedness education he provides on behalf of Red Cross and AmeriCorps is implemented effectively and professionally. Rafael is a full-time AmeriCorps member serving through the Together We Prepare AmeriCorps program at the Washtenaw-Lenawee Chapter of the American Red Cross. He is responsible for providing preparedness education within a two county area (population of 444,683). The service he provides is always done with AmeriCorps and American Red Cross principles at heart.
Rafael influences the development of many Red Cross volunteers, including youth. He provides the leadership necessary to administer quality programming, always ensuring that AmeriCorps, Red Cross, and preparedness education messages are conveyed internally and externally. Some of the accomplishments and highlights of Rafael's first year of service include the following:
- Organized the second annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service for Washtenaw and Lenawee Counties (40 volunteers canvassed fire safety and preparedness education materials to 1,370 households, had 270 conversations, and distributed 6,000 pieces of material);
Organized the third annual March Gatoraiser (20 volunteers collect donations of water and Gatorade at local grocery stores);- Developed critical partnerships with agencies that service vulnerable populations, including HOPE Community Center, HOLA, Boys and Girls Club, Ypsilanti Safe Schools, and Chelsea Senior Center, among others;
- Surpassed goals and expectations of numbers of preparedness education presentations (36), people reached (2,459) and materials distributed (10,180);
- Convened Together We Prepare AmeriCorps members throughout the state to brainstorm and discuss collaboration;
- Serves as a member of the Restoring Family Links Grant Implementation Team specifically for the planning of a World Refugee Day Event;
- Taken an active role in further development and support of existing high school Red Cross clubs;
- Helped build capacity in volunteer leadership in the Preparedness Education program and;
- Responds to local and national disasters.
"I have observed, mentored, and worked closely with him and can say in confidence that he is very hardworking, sincere, and dedicated toward his responsibilities," stated site supervisor, Ashley Cieslinsk. "Rafael truly deserves to be appreciated for his efforts."
For more information about the Together We Prepare AmeriCorps program through the American Red Cross, contact program director, Betsy Laakso at laaksob@usa.redcross.org. For more information about AmeriCorps, visit www.americorps.gov.
