News
NY Red Cross Overwhelmed by Offers of Technical Help
A volunteer at the NYC-branch of the Red Cross told MCPMag.com/CertCities today that the office has been "flooded" with offers of both computer equipment and technical assistance.
"I think we have everything we need.....I'm not sure -- we're just trying
to sort through it all," said the volunteer.
The office's original call for help went out Wed. on technical sites such as
Wired and Tech
TV. Joe Leo, assistant director of the American Red Cross in New York, asked
IT professionals to call or e-mail their offers of computer equipment as well
as technical expertise. At the time, Leo expressed a specific need for Microsoft
and Citrix-certified experts.
Today, Leo's voicemailbox is too full to accept messages, and those e-mailing
Leo receive the following automated response:
"I am not able to check email with any regularity at this time. Please
forgive any delays in responding to you. If you are responding to the request
for assistance after the World Trade Center disaster, thank you! The support
that we have received from the national IT community has been overwhelming.
We received over a thousand offers of assistance and equipment in less than
twenty-four hours! What we thought would be sent to five or six people has
made it from sea to shining sea, awesome is the power of the internet. What
we really need MOST at the moment is time... time to sort through what has
been offered and to reassess our needs. Please forgive us if we can't respond
right away and please don't forward our message at this time. I don't know
how else to thank you all for your compassion and generosity but I feel privileged
to be part of the I.T. community, a community in every sense of the word."
Because needs can change, however, CertCities and MCPmag.com were told that
the organization is still accepting offers of equipment and services. All such
offers are being compiled into a database so that they can be matched with needs
that may come up over the next few weeks or longer. However, "the real
need right now is for financial assistance," the volunteer said. Those
interested in donating money can do so online
or call 212-815-2460.
If you do have a specific offer of technical equipment or services, it is requested
that you no longer call or e-mail. Instead, the Red Cross is now accepting those
offers by fax. We were asked not to publish the fax number here for fear of
it too being inundated. Instead, you can e-mail
your offers to CertCities.com/MCPMag.com. The
editors will compile them and send a single fax. In your e-mail, please be as
specific as possible with your offer and include all contact information.
About the Author
Becky Nagel is the former editorial director and director of Web for 1105 Media's Converge 360 group, and she now serves as vice president of AI for company, specializing in developing media, events and training for companies around AI and generative AI technology. She's the author of "ChatGPT Prompt 101 Guide for Business Users" and other popular AI resources with a real-world business perspective. She regularly speaks, writes and develops content around AI, generative AI and other business tech. Find her on X/Twitter @beckynagel.