Volunteer Profile: Francisco Rodriguez

This week’s featured Manitoba volunteer is Francisco Rodriguez of Winnipeg.

Francisco has been a volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross Disaster Management program in Winnipeg for about two years.

Currently, he volunteers with the Personal Disaster Assistance team in Winnipeg, providing support to families and individuals affected by small-scale disasters, such as house or apartment fires. For families impacted by these small-scale disasters, the team provides assistance such as lodging for up to 72 hours, vouchers for food and clothing, as well as blankets and teddy bears.

In 2016, he travelled to Alberta to support the Red Cross response to the massive wildfires in the Fort McMurray area that displaced more than 90,000 people.

Francisco volunteers with the Canadian Red Cross because it makes him feel like he is doing something useful for people in need and he said that is one of the greatest feelings.

“I am glad I can help my community,” he said. He also enjoys working with a team of people who all have the same goal of helping others.

The Red Cross is looking for more local heroes like Francisco to join our team of volunteers in Manitoba.

Francisco said he’s not sure if volunteering makes him a hero, “(but) you can sleep better when you help people that really need (assistance).”

If you are interested in helping by joining our team of local heroes, go to www.redcross.ca/HeroesWantedMB, email vrs@redcross.ca or call 204-982-7330 for more details.