You know, the Red Cross is really starting to get on my nerves. Let's outline the past month:

1) Almost immediately after the hurricane, I sign up to help out.
2) They call me back a week later, just to ask if I still want to be on the list, and tell me I'll get another call in a few days.
3) Two weeks later I get a voice mail saying that if I was interested I should call them.

Before #3 occurred, I had already gotten frustrated and contacted DC Cares instead, because I knew they were working with the RC at the Armory. Their website said they really needed volunteers -- also thanked the willingness of DC residents to come out right away. Ummm...I tried and was kinda shunted to the side.
Anyway, I heard back from them much more quickly and was sent a schedule of shifts available at the armory. unfortunately, the beginning or end of the shifts all overlapped with a class, and they only wanted people to work full shifts. i could have worked plenty of hours, just not the exact starting times they wanted. but they said not to worry because there would be plenty of opportunities in coming weeks/months.

Meanwhile, nothing from the Red Cross.

Last week I got another email from DC Cares saying that thanks everyone, they've gotten almost everyone moved out of the Armory so they don't need more shifts covered, but if you want to help with sorting donations instead you can come down on these days etc...yesterday I get a school-wide email on behalf of the RC, saying that there is going to be disaster-response training tomorrow (Sunday) in case you want to volunteer to help out, as they are "desperate" for volunteers at the Armory. Uhhh...get your act together. I might do the training anyway, but...they're obviously not desperate for volunteers. Nor was this training mandatory for anyone before. I understand that when it's more of an emergency you'll take who you can get, but they're kinda a month late on all this. Way to go, RC.

Gar.