By: David Damsgaard
As the Disability Integration Deputy Advisor for the American Red Cross, Loni Koller is no stranger to expecting the unexpected. Her role often requires her to adapt swiftly to different disasters or environments, ensuring that the Red Cross shelters are fully accessible and inclusive of an unpredictable variety of clients.
But her work doesn’t end after disaster strikes. Throughout Red Cross shelters, the top priority is ensuring the safety and comfort of those who have been forced to leave their homes. Following the new E3 initiative (Every Shelter, Every Day and Every Need ), this often means regularly visiting shelters to assess their accommodations and establish any necessary adjustments to prioritize the needs of shelter clientele.
During one of her recent shelter visits for Hurricane Ian, Loni stumbled across an unexpected connection that both impacted client needs and created a lasting bond she wouldn’t forget. “They were just a super group of guys,” says Loni. “They really just went above and beyond.”
Francisco (Frank) Moc and the Brothers to Brothers Foundation had spontaneously loaded up three trucks full of supplies and arrived in the parking lot of the Fort Myers Red Cross shelter ready to help. As Loni was completing her weekly shelter visit, she came across the group out front in need of some directions. Despite not working directly in CEP, Loni headed over to see how she could help.
Loni was pleasantly surprised to find the trucks filled to the brim with donations. The Brothers to Brother Foundation had managed to put together 1156 MRES, 3460 water bottles, 80 hot meals, diapers, baby wipes and more, all stuffed wall-to-wall in the trailer. “I need to get you guys inside with this food!” declared Loni. “So I grabbed a couple of Red Cross volunteers inside, and we quickly put together some tables and areas to set up the food.” As the Red Cross prepared everything the shelter clients needed to enjoy a nice home-cooked meal, Frank and his team insisted they help unload their own donations.
But the support from the Brothers to Brothers Foundation didn’t stop there, explains Loni Koller. After seeing Red Cross volunteers busy due to an unannounced drop-off of some new clients, the faith-based group proceeded to help anywhere possible. While unloading shelter trailers, cots, and medical supplies, they even helped Loni and her team as they taped down extension cords to reduce trip hazards and make the shelter more accessible.
Loni was blown away by the generosity of this newfound community partner and the impact it had on the individuals staying in the shelter. Not only did they provide essential resources, but they truly demonstrated to those affected by disasters that they are not alone and in turn, that members of the community care deeply about their well-being.
Loni has since learned they plan on helping other locations based on an as-needed basis, and she looks forward to working with the new community partner. With generous and thoughtful support from people like Francisco (Frank) Moc, together we can continuously provide a commitment to building a stronger, safer, and more resilient community for those in need.