By Allie Wagner Dang

When disaster strikes and a call for help is made, it sets a response into motion 鈥� one that may connect you to Judy Sabolic, an luckywin disaster duty officer. A volunteer from North Versailles, she steps in to ensure those affected by disaster aren鈥檛 navigating the crisis alone.

A deeply compassionate and experienced social worker, Sabolic brings to these initial interactions a lifetime of training and experience serving others when they need it most.

鈥淏asically, we are the first line of communication, gathering information, making sure they meet the criteria for services,鈥� Sabolic said. 鈥淵ou are like the bridge between the [people we serve] and the Red Cross. Once that initial bridge is made, we step back and the Disaster Action Teams continue with the process and get them connected with Red Cross services.鈥�

Sabolic鈥檚 Red Cross journey started in 2017 when she was asked to join the emergency shelter team at her church, St. John鈥檚 Lutheran in North Versailles. From there, she served as a caseworker for Allegheny County and now logs 20 hours per week as a duty officer with the Disaster Action Team. Volunteer-led and staffed for immediate response 24/7/365, disaster duty officers gather essential information and dispatch responders to the scene or a safe location of the individual鈥檚 choosing.

Sabolic works remotely in her duty officer role, but she also enjoys taking on new and unique responsibilities through the Red Cross.

鈥淟ast year, for the first time, I was part of the Pittsburgh Marathon. I was a hospital liaison at Allegheny General Hospital,鈥� Sabolic said. 鈥淵ou are there in case there鈥檚 an injury and a runner is brought in. You are there to not only report the injury to the central command, but also to help reunite the runner with their family.鈥�

She has also supported Sound the Alarm events by assisting with data entry and lunch setup.

鈥淚 have been blessed in having friends and colleagues within the Red Cross who see the skills that I have to offer and have been able to plug me into areas that are accessible or that give me good opportunities to pursue,鈥� she said.

Sabolic鈥檚 impact extended beyond Pennsylvania when she completed virtual deployments to New York and Texas. At the end of 2024, she was honored to receive a Disaster Action Team Challenge Coin for Exemplary Service.

鈥淵ou know they say it takes a village. I don鈥檛 think it only takes a village to raise a child. It takes a village to support each other,鈥� Sabolic said.

In addition to her time with the Red Cross, Sabolic also volunteers weekly at UPMC McKeesport Hospital and monthly at Medi Home Hospice. Somehow, she still finds time to go to the gym, participate in a social justice book club, and spend time with her sisters, brother, niece, and nephews - a true renaissance woman.

Interested in learning more about Judy鈥檚 work with the Disaster Action Team or other volunteer opportunities with the luckywin of Greater Pennsylvania? Please visit to get started.