Photo by Matt Mateiescu
In this time of COVID-19, it’s the medical professionals and first responders of the world — the doctors, public service providers, firefighters — we rely on to help and treat people directly affected by the crisis. It’s a formidable undertaking, and like with any disaster, more support is always needed, especially in areas that are underserved and underfunded. That’s where Team Rubicon comes in. Dedicated to serving at-risk populations, Team Rubicon consists of committed volunteers — 70 percent of whom are military veterans — who mobilize to help people prepare, respond and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises of all kinds.
The servicepeople of our armed forces are uniquely equipped with valuable skills that directly translate from military missions to disaster responses: emergency medicine, leadership, logistics and a strong commitment to serve, to name a few. While most Team Rubicon volunteers are veterans, the “greyshirts,” as they’re known, also include firefighters, medical professionals, mental health providers and civilians who bring diverse backgrounds and skillsets to the team. Not ones to turn away more boots on the ground, Team Rubicon will even train less-experienced volunteers on everything from heavy equipment use to disaster technology.
As the COVID-19 crisis emerged, Team Rubicon got involved with a number of important endeavors: medical support, mobile-testing support and help in at-risk communities. The organization has provided augmentation for hospital and emergency staff, as well as assistance to adjunct care facilities. They have helped improve mobile testing processes, and they’ve aided with COVID testing at 19 sites across the country (with talks of more to come), enabling communities to administer 6,888 tests, and to screen 3,850 people to date. They’ve also launched the #NeighborsHelpingNeighbors campaign to provide opportunities for volunteers to provide individual acts of service, such as delivery of food and other basic necessities to neighbors in need.
Photo by Jonathen Davis
At the heart of their mission, Team Rubicon prioritizes aid to particularly vulnerable populations. They launched the COVID-19 Emergency Food Assistance Program for people affected by COVID-19 who are also living with cancer, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. And as of June, they have provided 9,000-plus hours of service and have assisted more than 2,400 people of the Navajo Nation, which has been hit disproportionately hard by the virus. Currently, Team Rubicon remains available to aid the Navajo community with medical needs, including emergency room and ambulatory staff support.
With a ways to go before the pandemic is behind us, Team Rubicon continues to forge ahead and show up where they’re needed. We’re proud to support them in their mission. If you are interested in becoming a part of the collective force behind the organization, visit teamrubiconusa.org. And while not all of us can commit to actively volunteering, you can always help. We encourage you to join us in donating funds to Team Rubicon so they can continue mobilizing volunteers throughout the COVID crisis — and any future disasters.
Additional photos | Charles Adi Uchendi and Charl Folscher