Host Janet Michael sits down with Deb Fleming, Executive Director of the Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter of American Red Cross to discuss how they're rethinking its role in the community — moving from an organization that serves communities to one that is truly part of them. They cover community mobilization, the maturity matrix self-assessment, and the upcoming Disaster Leadership Academy.

Key Topics Covered

• What is Community Mobilization? Working with local partners, nonprofits, and residents to assess community needs and build self-sustaining disaster response capacity — without relying solely on Red Cross staff or outside volunteers.
• The Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter Covers 11 counties across Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. Each community has unique demographics, income levels, ethnic groups, and needs — requiring a tailored approach.
• The Maturity Matrix An honest internal self-assessment tool the Red Cross is using to evaluate the strength of their community partnerships, operational strategy, and representation. The goal: identify gaps before trying to fix them.
• The Disaster Leadership Academy Born from a conversation between Janet and Deb over coffee, this program brings together community members, nonprofit staff, elected officials, and emergency managers to learn each other's roles before a disaster strikes. Starting first in Washington County, MD, with plans to expand to Winchester and the wider region.
• Why Cross-Sector Education Matters Siloed knowledge leads to confusion during disasters — who sets up shelters, who handles food, who manages communications. The Academy helps everyone speak the same language and know who to call.
• Volunteer Opportunities The chapter needs 37 more deployable volunteers to hit its regional goal. Volunteers can start local and many end up deploying nationally. The Red Cross reports a 94% volunteer satisfaction rate.

Resources & Links

• Sign up to volunteer: RedCross.org