The Daily Gamecock

Brief: Red Cross, United Way seek student volunteers

<p>Granby Park at 5 p.m.</p>
Granby Park at 5 p.m.

The American Red Cross and United Way of the Midlands, along with several USC students, are organizing volunteers for flood relief efforts.

According to third-year sociology and Russian student Cory Alpert, who is helping the Red Cross and United Way organize volunteers from the USC community, the main priority is currently to keep people safe.

Alpert started reaching out to student organizations and publicizing the volunteer efforts on Sunday evening. Several other students, including fourth-year English student Morgan Lundy and third-year public relations student Becca Bradley, are helping organize the volunteers.

Over 1000 students have signed up to volunteer so far, according to Alpert.

Students can sign up through the Red Cross at their website www.redcross.org/local/sc. Those wishing to join other USC students in the volunteer effort can sign up here.

Students can also volunteer through United Way, an organization that works to help the Columbia community, by emailing Senior Director Jennifer Moore at jmoore@uway.org. United Way is also running a Flood Disaster Relief Fund, which can be accessed from their website. 

Volunteers will assist with a variety of tasks, including damage repair, water debris removal and distribution of goods to evacuation shelters. No civilian volunteers will be called out until the City of Columbia declares that roads are traversable and travel is safe.

According to Alpert, a first wave of volunteers will begin Tuesday, helping United Way distribute water bottles. 


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