Monica Owens was serving in AmeriCorps NCCC when Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. After her AmeriCorps service ended, she wanted to continue to serve so she moved to South Mississippi to work with the Red Cross in hurricane recovery, starting as a case manager who worked to help families get back into their homes.
Now the Warner Robins, GA, native is a Community Resilience Coordinator for the Red Cross in South Mississippi, pilot testing a new strategy for the Red Cross to build resilience at the community level by leveraging and connecting community networks. Monica has brought together diverse community stakeholders and leaders to take action around significant risks and vulnerabilities: for example, Monica helped bridge cultural barriers between first responders and non-English speaking populations, resulting in better communication when home fires and other emergencies strike.