By: Nicole Roschella
Every parent is a real-life superhero, but a single mom from Butler County is soaring above and beyond.
Gabby Pugliano joined the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania in August 2021 after seeing a post online about the Disaster Action Team, which is the group of volunteers who help local families cope with emergencies.
“I was looking at job openings and came across this post about a volunteer position,” Pugliano said. “I thought, ‘Wow, that sounds awesome.’ And I’ve always wanted to do some type of volunteering.”
With the help of Red Cross volunteer engagement specialists, Pugliano found a role more fitting for her lifestyle: a virtual position as a Duty Officer.
“It was the perfect fit, and I got the ball rolling from there,” Pugliano said.
Duty Officers are the backbone of each Red Cross disaster response, essentially serving as a volunteer dispatcher to determine how the Red Cross will respond to an emergency and monitoring the response to ensure appropriate resources are made available.
Pugliano has become a critical part of our regional Disaster Action Team, completing the most Duty Officer shifts each month – all while working a full-time job at MSA Safety and raising her 8-year-old son.
“I like to stay busy. My role with the Red Cross is something I feel great about doing; I love helping people,” Pugliano said. “There’s been times when my son hears me talking to firefighters and police officers, and he tells me he’s proud of me. Knowing he looks up to me in that way is amazing.”
Although Pugliano logs hundreds of volunteer hours each month, she highlighted the flexibility the Red Cross provides its volunteers.
“You get to make your own schedule – whether you’d prefer morning, night or afternoon shifts,” Pugliano said. Most Duty Officers work an average of 4 to 6 shifts per month, each lasting about 4 hours.
Pugliano says being a Red Cross volunteer has made her thankful for the community around her.
“Before I joined the Red Cross, I never would have imagined how many people are out there volunteering their time to help others," Pugliano said. "That's humbling."
Gabby Pugliano joined the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania in August 2021 after seeing a post online about the Disaster Action Team, which is the group of volunteers who help local families cope with emergencies.
“I was looking at job openings and came across this post about a volunteer position,” Pugliano said. “I thought, ‘Wow, that sounds awesome.’ And I’ve always wanted to do some type of volunteering.”
With the help of Red Cross volunteer engagement specialists, Pugliano found a role more fitting for her lifestyle: a virtual position as a Duty Officer.
“It was the perfect fit, and I got the ball rolling from there,” Pugliano said.
Duty Officers are the backbone of each Red Cross disaster response, essentially serving as a volunteer dispatcher to determine how the Red Cross will respond to an emergency and monitoring the response to ensure appropriate resources are made available.
Pugliano has become a critical part of our regional Disaster Action Team, completing the most Duty Officer shifts each month – all while working a full-time job at MSA Safety and raising her 8-year-old son.
“I like to stay busy. My role with the Red Cross is something I feel great about doing; I love helping people,” Pugliano said. “There’s been times when my son hears me talking to firefighters and police officers, and he tells me he’s proud of me. Knowing he looks up to me in that way is amazing.”
Although Pugliano logs hundreds of volunteer hours each month, she highlighted the flexibility the Red Cross provides its volunteers.
“You get to make your own schedule – whether you’d prefer morning, night or afternoon shifts,” Pugliano said. Most Duty Officers work an average of 4 to 6 shifts per month, each lasting about 4 hours.
Pugliano says being a Red Cross volunteer has made her thankful for the community around her.
“Before I joined the Red Cross, I never would have imagined how many people are out there volunteering their time to help others," Pugliano said. "That's humbling."
To find the volunteer position that’s right for you, visit redcross.org/volunteer.
Red Cross Disaster Action Teams: Turning Tragedy into Hope after a Disaster from American Red Cross on Vimeo.
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