American Red Cross Latino Engagement Team Assists Spanish-Speaking Community After Recent Floods

Bernadette Villanueva

Story by Elizabeth Storey, American Red Cross Volunteer

It is hard to imagine surviving a natural disaster like a flood or tornado. Your home and possessions are ruined, and you don’t know what is going to happen. Now imagine not being able to communicate with those who come to offer help. The American Red Cross is working to solve this exact problem. One of the programs in place for this effort is the Latino Engagement Team (LET). After a national team was put into place years ago at Red Cross headquarters, local chapters are now following that lead. In the wake of a disaster, these volunteers deploy to areas with a large Latino population to help them navigate the process of finding immediate resources and get through long term recovery efforts.

Bernadette Villanueva is a member of the LET and was deployed to Nashville after the flooding in March 2021. Her time was spent ensuring the Latino community of Nashville had the services and information they needed to get through this disaster. “We had to wear many hats because there was such a need,” said Villanueva. This involved helping with meals, hotels, and coordinating with other local resources and organizations. However, being able to translate for the Latino community members is a significant part of the LET work.

“These families are not at home,” said Villanueva. “They don’t have their belongings. They’re trying to maneuver work and getting their kids to school from a different place because they’re in a hotel now. Even will all of that, they’re also maneuvering the language.”

Bernadette Villanueva, pictured center wearing her Red Cross vest, works along side of community partners to assist Spanish-speaking community members after the severe spring flooding in Middle Tennessee.

“They call in to say, ‘what does this mean’ and then you end up sharing a conversation. When we can have those small conversations with them, it is a big relief for them and for us. They know they can reach us. It’s very rewarding and nice that the team can have contact directly with the Spanish speaking clients. It’s very important and special to experience.”

The LET and the Nashville Mayor’s Office hosted a joint press conference to explain what the Red Cross does, how to get involved and to create awareness for the need for Spanish speaking volunteers. At the national level, the Red Cross Training Services are working to translate the volunteer onboarding process into different languages, to help deliver the mission to more communities.  If someone wants to volunteer and English is not their first language, they will still be able to sign up and contribute. To find out more about volunteering with the American Red Cross, go to RedCross.org/Volunteer.