Our Red Cross teams do more than provide a safe place to stay—they help make a shelter feel like home.

What began as a frightening late-night evacuation for dozens of Saratoga Springs seniors ended a few days later with hugs, laughter and a Labor Day barbecue. In between were Red Cross volunteers who gave up part of their holiday weekend to make sure their neighbors had a safe place to stay, a warm meal and someone by their side during an uncertain time. 

Shortly before 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, the Saratoga Springs Fire Department responded to an alarm at Raymond Watkin Apartments on Ballston Avenue. Firefighters found an activated sprinkler, with water entering a room containing electrical and elevator equipment. While there was no fire, National Grid disconnected power as a safety precaution, forcing all 71 residents to leave their homes. 

The American Red Cross was notified, and volunteers and staff quickly mobilized. 

Despite the late hour and the start of Labor Day weekend, Red Crossers headed to the Saratoga Springs Recreation Center on Vanderbilt Avenue to open a shelter and prepare to welcome residents. 

A strong partnership between the Red Cross and the City of Saratoga Springs helped make the response possible. The recreation center had been identified and used as a shelter location in the past, allowing teams to move quickly to provide residents with a safe place to stay, meals, supplies and other essential support. 

But meeting the needs of the residents meant much more than opening a shelter. It meant working side by side with our amazing community partners, who stepped up throughout the weekend to make sure people had what they needed. Many residents had been evacuated so quickly that they left with little more than the clothes they were wearing. Franklin Community Center generously opened their doors with their volunteers to provide clothing and other necessities to the displaced residents. The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) helped transport residents, The Salvation Army assisted with meals, and other local partners answered the call as needs arose. 

It was a powerful reminder that while the Red Cross may open the shelter, it takes an entire community working together to care for people during an emergency. 

There were additional needs to consider. Many of the residents are seniors, and a number use wheelchairs or scooters. Once the shelter doors opened, the focus for Red Cross volunteers was simple: make people as safe and comfortable as possible. 

For residents who had suddenly been forced from their homes late at night, that meant more than providing a cot and a meal. It meant answering questions when possible, listening to concerns, sharing conversations and helping create a sense of normalcy while everyone waited for word about when they could go home. 

“This coordinated operation focused on safely relocating residents and providing access to transportation, shelter and support,” Fire Chief Joseph J. Nolan said in a news release. “We are grateful to everyone who responded on short notice to assist our community.” 

As Saturday passed, it became increasingly uncertain how long the residents might be displaced. Red Cross teams prepared for the possibility that the shelter could remain open for several more days. 

And if residents were going to spend Labor Day away from home, Red Cross volunteers wanted to make the holiday feel a little more like a holiday. 

Plans began for a Labor Day barbecue. 

Then, on Sunday evening, came the news everyone had been hoping for: residents could return home. 

“I announced the shelter was closing at 7:45 to a round of applause,” recalled Kevin Coffey, Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross Eastern New York Region. “Several residents came up to me and gave me a hug with tears of joy in their eyes. In a few short days, we became a family.” 

The shelter was closing—but the barbecue was still on. 

In partnership with Raymond Watkin Apartments, the Red Cross helped turn the planned shelter meal into a homecoming celebration for the entire apartment community. All residents were invited, not only those who had stayed at the shelter. 

It became a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors and an example of what can happen when community organizations work together. 

Mayor John Safford, Commissioner of Public Safety Timothy Coll and Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Shimkus joined residents for the gathering. Members of Pine Grove Methodist Church, led by Pastor Mark Kerher, helped serve hamburgers, hot dogs and salads. Representatives from The Salvation Army, which had helped feed residents at the shelter on Saturday and Sunday, stopped by to visit with residents. 

And Ben & Jerry’s provided a particularly sweet ending, bringing four flavors of ice cream, cones and cups. 

Adding to the fun, the young man serving the ice cream happened to be named Ben. No, he said with a smile, he’s not related—but he gets that question all the time. 

By early Monday evening, all 71 residents were safely back home. 

Red Cross volunteers packed the remaining food and placed it in the apartment complex kitchen so residents could enjoy it the next day. Then, after a long holiday weekend, it was finally time for volunteers and staff to pack up and say goodbye. 

Those goodbyes were a little harder than anyone might have expected. 

Over just a few days, volunteers had gotten to know the people they were serving. They had shared meals, stories, worries, laughter and, finally, the joy of going home. 

For the American Red Cross, this is what disaster response often looks like. It isn’t always a large hurricane, flood or fire. Sometimes it is 71 neighbors who unexpectedly need somewhere safe to go on a Friday night. 

And when that happens, Red Cross volunteers answer the call—24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holiday weekends. But they don’t do it alone. Partnerships with first responders, local government, businesses, nonprofit organizations, faith communities and neighbors allow us to surround people with care when they need it most. 

This Labor Day weekend in Saratoga Springs, an entire community came together. Red Cross volunteers were there when residents had to leave their homes. Our partners were there to help meet needs large and small. And a few days later, everyone was there to celebrate when residents finally went home.