COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — With at least 25 people confirmed dead from the Los Angeles wildfires and thousands without a home, firefighters continue their battle against the flames. Five local volunteers from the American Red Cross of South Carolina are bringing help in other ways like providing food, shelter, and emotional support to victims of the fires. Jan Herczogh from Seneca, SC says she first volunteered during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and has been giving back ever since — now serving as a kitchen manager at a shelter for Veterans in downtown Los Angeles. “We have a breakfast lunch and supper and snacks for the Veterans,” she says. Jan  works from six in the morning to six at night — serving around 157 Veterans who have been staying at the shelter, all evacuated from their homes out of precaution. “They all live in a community where the VA Hospital is. There’s a large community, and they got them out of harm’s way not knowing if they were gonna lose their homes but they did not,” she says. She says once the Veterans return home in the next couple of days, she doesn’t know how she will be asked to serve next. “I am thankful. I am just so thankful that I have gotten to serve these men and women that I couldn’t even tell you the words, I’m just thankful to serve them,” Herczogh says. Nick Gibson with the Red Cross of South Carolina says it comes with the territory. “Just simply walking up to someone and giving them a hug and having a normal conversation with them about how their life has been changed after a natural disaster came into their area and certain situations as well of providing food to certain communities, and just to see the smiles on the faces in a very tough time to me is what is such a heartwarming experience…So we’re just always gonna be there to help those affected and essentially help them get back on their feet,” says Gibson. If you are interested in volunteering with the Red Cross visit their website here.  Categories: Local News, News Tags: American Red Cross, Jan Herczogh, Los Angeles, Nick Gibson, Volunteer, wildfires