((PKG)) RED CROSS SHELTER VOLUNTEER
((Banner: Shelter))
((Reporter: Bill Gallo))
((Camera: Gabrielle Weiss))
((Adapted by: Martin Secrest))
((Map: Chapel Hill, North Carolina))
((NATS))
((Thomas Kunicki, Red Cross Volunteer))
My name is Thomas Kunicki. I’m a volunteer with the American Red Cross. I’m working here at the Smith Middle School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where we have a set up in collaboration with the county, Orange County of North Carolina. The Red Cross has set up a shelter where we’re going to take care of the needs of the residents of this part of North Carolina who are evacuating because of Hurricane Florence. All of the service that we provide to the clients is free of charge and it’s due to the generosity of the American public.
((Thomas Kunicki, Red Cross Volunteer))
We have right now about 75, as of the last few minutes, 75 clients staying in the shelter.
It may go higher than that. We have the capacity for about 150, I think, comfortably. We provide not only shelter, but we also provide health care which is a very important part of any sheltering process and also mental health care. We have mental health service volunteers who are either sociologists or psychologists who take care of the stress, the mental stress on the individuals who are not only staying in the shelter but also the individuals who are working in the shelters.
((NATS))
((Thomas Kunicki, Red Cross Volunteer))
And we also have, as you have enjoyed, a very unique, pet-friendly portion of the shelter where the clients are bringing their animals. The animals are taken care of by professionals who are skilled in animal care and they can come and visit the animals, take them out for a walk and they can be certain that their animals are well taken care of while they’re in residence in the shelter.
((NATS))
((Thomas Kunicki, Red Cross Volunteer))
I’m from Orange County, California, so quite a long ways from here and this is what volunteers in the Red Cross do. We give our time and our effort, well, just because it’s the right thing to do.
((NATS))