FLORIDA — When disaster strikes, the American Red Cross of Central Florida is there to help.

Volunteers make it possible for them to respond quickly to those dealing with storms, fire and floods. They step out of their regular lives to rush in and assist those in need.

One volunteer in Orlando has touched dozens of lives.

What You Need To Know

  • As an American Red Cross volunteer, Rene Leins has been deployed to 11 disasters in the U.S.

  • She started volunteering during the pandemic

Nothing warms Rene Leins’ heart like helping people get back on their feet. As she assembles clean up kits, she knows firsthand what is needed most.

“So, we have brooms and mops and sponges and work gloves, everything that they will need to kind of cleanup from whatever the disaster has been,” said Leins.

As a volunteer with the American Red Cross of Central Florida, she has deployed to 11 disasters across the United States, something she started doing after being furloughed from work during the pandemic and wanting to make a difference.

“It’s been very meaningful to me and I feel like I am providing a service that not everyone has the ability to provide,” she said.

Most recently, she deployed to Tallahassee after the destructive tornadoes back in May.

“It was amazing because one street would be totally devastated and one street damage there would be no damage at all,” she said.

She was there for two weeks working on logistics like sourcing supplies needed to help families that lost so much.

While those situations can be exhausting, the purpose she feels from giving back keeps her going.

“It is very energizing when you see the faces of the people and you get the various reports each day that say this is how many we helped today. This is how many people we fed. This is how many people we sheltered. It’s those moments that make it worthwhile,” said Leins.

Now, she’s back preparing for the next time she’s needed, ready to lend a hand and a shoulder to lean on.

“It’s very rewarding to see the faces of the people who have been affected and see how thankful they are,” she said.

A spokesperson with the American Red Cross said they need more people like Leins to support their efforts. If you’d like to volunteer, click here.