“Joy is my reward.”

For 49-year-old Karla Obi, those four words explain what many people don’t understand: why she gives so much of her time, for free. A full-time electrical engineering student, a loving wife and dedicated mother of two, the Alabama native finds space in her life for an ever-growing commitment to the American Red Cross. She says, it’s the most meaningful work she has ever done.

Karla moved to Houston at 32, where she and her husband raised their children and built a life filled with travel, culture, and comfort. She loves the city’s vibrancy—its opera, art, music, and food festivals—and she has explored the world alongside her husband, who often travels internationally for work. But despite the fullness around her, something inside felt empty.

“I live in a neighborhood but don’t know my neighbors,” she recalls. “I shop, spend all the

money. I bake and gain all the weight. Something was missing.”

That missing piece resurfaced as a promise she made years earlier. In 2015, when Hurricane Harvey submerged her home for two weeks, she met a Red Cross volunteer who brought food, comfort, and a lasting impression. Karla told herself she would volunteer “one day.”

“One day” finally arrived on March 1, 2024. A peer advisor at Houston Community College casually mentioned that the Red Cross office was nearby. Karla took it as the sign she had been waiting for.

Her first volunteer assignment placed her on the Disaster Action Team as a field responder—meeting clients face-to-face in the wake of fires, floods, and emergencies.

“I failed miserably,” she admits with a laugh, though the memories still sting. “I would have just cried with the client. It wouldn’t be helpful.”

For four months she witnessed devastation firsthand, and although she knew she wasn’t meant for fieldwork, it gave her a deeper respect for responders and a clearer understanding of her own strengths.

Her strengths, it turned out, were in information and planning.

With over 20 years of experience as an executive administrative assistant, she thrived in the

Information and Planning department in a variety of roles including documentation coordinator, duty officer shifts, and call center liaison which led to a role in the Financial Statistics Information (FSI) group.

“Mr. McCoy tells me, ‘Karla, you got me those cards just in time.’ They’ll go through 30 cards in a weekend. Knowing I helped them help others—it’s meaningful.”

Serving virtually was a revelation. It allowed her to use her computer and organizational skills, stay grounded at home, manage her full-time studies, and still be an active part of the mission.

“There’s a place for everyone in the Red Cross,” she says. “You just have to find your place.”

Volunteering didn’t just restore her sense of purpose—it introduced her to a community she never expected.

Karla met neighbors she hadn’t known who lived two blocks away. She connected with volunteers who quickly became friends—like Mr. McCoy, Ms. Sandy, Madison, and Kelsey. She discovered the Red Cross radio club and even learned ham radio communication, a skill used when cellular networks fail.

She laughs recalling how she bonded with one colleague over Corel and Lotus123—proof of how long she’s worked on spreadsheets.

For a woman who describes herself as a homebody, finding a network of people who share her desire to serve felt like finding home again.

One of Karla’s most powerful experiences came during a deployment to North Carolina after a hurricane. As temperatures dropped and a “Code Purple” freezing event struck, volunteers worked around the clock to make sure families—especially veterans losing temporary FEMA housing—had somewhere warm to sleep.

“They could’ve packed up and left because the paperwork said the job was done. But they didn’t. They stayed to make sure people had a roof over their heads. I thought, Yes. I want to be part of this.”

Volunteering has changed how she sees Houston, too. When disaster strikes, she says, “the city feels smaller.” Strangers help strangers. People reveal their humanity.

“These experiences make the world smaller and feel less overwhelming,” she reflects. “We’re all doing something to help one another.”

Karla puts a lot of emphasis on diversity and open communication—values she found are aligned and strengthened through volunteering with the Red Cross. Working with people from varied backgrounds has expanded her comfort zone and given her new confidence.

“I used to avoid difficult conversations. Now I’m more vocal. More comfortable. More open,” she says. “I’m still far from public speaking but just being able to speak freely—that’s huge for me.”

Her Christian faith guides her approach: “Love everybody. Don’t be quick-tempered. Understand other people’s perspectives.”

Before every deployment or shift, Karla prepares her home first, lesson learned after Hurricane Beryl.

“If my home isn’t in order, I can’t focus on others,” she says. She meditates, packs her bags, and clears her schedule. “Once I’m taken care of, I can take care of others.”

Karla’s work doesn’t always put her in the spotlight, but her impact is unmistakable.

Client assistance cards she processes provide families with food, clothing, and shelter. Duty officer shifts keep responders supported and clients comforted. Behind-the-scenes coordination ensures operations run smoothly.

Karla shares her experience and work with everyone she meets. She enjoys spreading the mission and educating others about the Red Cross mission beyond blood drives.

People now ask her what volunteering “looks like” beyond blood drives. And her advice to those looking at volunteering is simple: Pace yourself.

“It’s exciting at first, and you want to fill every gap,” she says. “But if you get overwhelmed, you might leave—and we need you. There’s a place for everyone.”

As she prepares to turn 50 next year, Karla feels she is in the second half of her life—and she’s determined to spend it learning, growing, and serving.

She sees the Red Cross evolving with technology, expanding capacity in Houston, and welcoming more volunteers skilled in both digital tools and traditional methods.

For her, the mission remains clear: “Never stop learning. Never stop helping.”

And with a warm laugh she adds, “And I want to meet more people who don’t expect a 50-year old woman to show up.”

Story By: Khadijah Lloyd