Volunteers from the Red Cross Drenthe have been supporting the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) every day since July 10, 2023 in the TT Expo Hall in Assen.
The COA has asked the Red Cross to provide meals to the residents of the Asser Expo hall. The Expo hall serves as a waiting room for the registration center in Ter Apel. The halls are equipped for 500 refugees to prevent refugees from not having a bed to spend the night.
This deployment is one of the most long-term deployments ever by the Red Cross Drenthe. Every day, 3 volunteers or ‘Ready2Helpers’ are ready to help with meal distribution. A Ready2Helper is a volunteer at the Red Cross who works flexibly (on call) when extra help is needed. Since July 1, 2023, a total of 109 volunteers have been deployed to support COA. The volunteers experience the assistance provided as very valuable; they emphasize the importance of making brief contact with residents, to make them feel seen. It’s about much more than just handing out a hot meal.
This Red Cross deployment lasted until April 1. The collaboration with the COA went well and the Red Cross Drenthe hopes to be able to make these emergency deployments more often in the future.
Tags: Volunteers Red Cross Drenthe committed refugee shelters Assen
