Red Cross Needs Volunteers for Shelters to Help Displaced Residents

As the American Red Cross responds to the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, it's calling for more volunteers to work in its shelters.

Training classes are being offered daily at 10am and 4pm at the organization's Manhattan headquarters.

Anyone interested in volunteering must be older than 16, available to work 12-hour shifts over a 72-hour period, and be able to lift and carry items up to 40 lbs.

Since New York City is currently staffing its own shelters, the volunteers filling up the classes will likely be deployed to Red Cross shelters on Long Island where the need is great. Thousands of people, especially residents on the South Shore, have been displaced.

"They are experiencing a lot of distress, and often if you can engage them in working with you, in helping set up cots and food service, it really gives them a sense of purpose and really makes them feel good," said Alissa Silverstein, a Red Cross volunteer disaster instructor.

Nurse Liz Bossov left the comfort of her New Rochelle home, to join the Wednesday morning Red Cross volunteer training class.

"Between my availability, and my guilt, so to speak, feeling really bad that people were in trouble, I wanted to go help, and here I am," Bossov said.

For more information, visit http://www.nyredcross.org.