For more than a century, the Red Cross has relied upon its volunteers to prevent, prepare for and respond to countless tragedies. No other organization is more experienced in marshalling volunteer resources and expertise to keep people safe and sound.   We are not a government agency and rely on the generosity of people’s time and expertise to help carry out our mission. In fact, last year your local Red Cross mobilized more than 1,500 volunteers – people just like you – to care for their neighbors. If you have a passion for helping others, please consider becoming a Red Cross volunteer today. We have opportunities for almost all ages, skill sets and interests.   Note: We have received a number of calls from community members wanting to travel to Haiti after the devastating earthquake. Please note that the Red Cross is not recruiting or accepting volunteers to travel to Haiti. Trained Red Cross personnel are already on the ground there, providing disaster assistance. However, if you are interested in international issues, we have a number of volunteer opportunities for bilingual speakers to serve a number of refugee and immigrant communities right here in King & Kitsap Counties.     VOLUNTEER STEPS Review our list of  volunteer opportunities and youth volunteer opportunities to find the right one for you. Fill out our secured online Volunteer Application Form  or request one to be mailed to you. Our Volunteer Services Team will process your application and contact your references. This can take several weeks, depending on how quickly your references respond.  Once we receive your references we will contact you to schedule a volunteer interview. During the interview you will be assigned a position, complete a background check and sign up for a volunteer orientation. After your orientation and some additional training, you will connect with the department where you will work and you can being your volunteer service! If you have any questions contact us at (206) 726-3566, (360) 377-3761 ext. 10207 or volunteers@seattleredcross.org.     RESERVECORPS   RESERVECORPS members are ready to be mobilized when major disasters, such as flooding or power outages, strike. They work alongside Red Cross employees and volunteers in specialty areas such as sheltering, supply distribution, community response (phone bank) and volunteer registration. ReserveCorps offers a one-day training that provides the basic skills required to assist in a major local disaster. Click here for more information.   Note: We have received great community response to our ReserveCorps program, and have reached the maximum capacity our chapter can process for the 2009-10 flood season. For that reason we are not scheduling additional training days at this time.     EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERING   Ready When the Time Comes (RWTC) is a corporate volunteer program that provides disaster-relief training to local corporate and business partner volunteers and mobilizes them when disasters, like floods or power outages, strike. Click here to read how your company's volunteer group can assist the Red Cross for a one-time project or get involved on a longer term basis.   For more information email the Volunteer Services Department or call (206) 720-5394.     YOUTH CORPS    If you’re 14 years of age or older and interested in taking a leadership volunteer role, the American Red Cross Youth Council is for you. Youth Council members help plan and implement the entire Red Cross Youth Program, with elected officers who meet on a regular basis and work with the local chapter to fulfill the Red Cross mission. As a Youth Council member you will participate in community-wide service projects, partner with other non-profit agencies and help make our community a great place to live.   To find out about other youth volunteer opportunities, click here. For more information, email the Youth Services Department or call (206) 323-6565 ext 10211 or (360) 377-3761.