‘A group of strangers moved by the same feeling’

As Covid-19 cases began rising sharply again in many European cities this fall, memories from the first lockdown in Italy back in April came flooding back and, for many, it felt like a step back in time.

Despite the hardship and frustration of new lockdowns, there was also a rekindled feeling of solidarity.  Many of the people who decided to volunteer on a temporary basis during the first wave of Covid-19 have since gone on to make a long-term commitment to volunteering.

This is the story of one of those volunteers: Angela, now officially a permanent member of the Italian Red Cross volunteer corps.

“The desire to be a volunteer had been with me for some time”, says Angela, who began her voluntary service by delivering food and medicine in March this year as her home down of Florence went into its first lockdown. Many people who were under quarantine, self-isolated or were considered at high risk needed support to cope and fulfill their basic needs.

A year of courage and kindness

Angela’s story is not unique. The many hardships posed by the pandemic have sparked an unprecedented response, as millions of people around the world spontaneously reached out to help their neighbours and fellow citizens. This year, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide joined Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to support the response of Covid-19.

In Italy alone, the Red Cross received nearly 60,000 new sign-ups as part of its ‘Time of Kindness’ initiative, launched in March to assist vulnerable and isolated people with deliveries of food, medicine and essential items, as well as to provide transport to health facilities for a variety of medical needs.

Likewise, other Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies around the world have reported a significant upward trend in volunteer sign ups – proving that even in the darkest of times, there are incredible stories of people wanting to serve others.

“We are a team, a group of friends with different lives. We are total strangers, but we are moved by the same feeling.”
Angela Ratto
Italian Red Cross volunteer

More than a team, a family

For Angela, becoming a permanent volunteer offers a different but fulfilling experience. She is still delivering groceries to people in quarantine, but she has also taken on new activities, such as driving people – including those with disabilities who need special care — to doctor’s appointments or non-emergency hospital visits.

“I am really gaining a lot of experience”, she says. “I am much more involved than at the beginning…I’m lucky to be able to continue with my commitment to this job. This is thanks also to my family, which supports me along my journey”.

Now, after seven months on the job, she’s far more than just a solitary volunteer. She’s part of a team that is deeply committed to helping their fellow Florentines through the Covid-19 pandemic. “We are a team, a group of friends with different lives,” she says. “We are total strangers, but we are moved by the same feeling.”