Nuria and Mariam, both 84 years old, residents of Badalona, are part of the program of unwanted solitude that Creu Roja Catalunya promotes and develops. It consists of proposing activities, accompaniment, visits and control calls to these people to prevent them from falling into depression or losing the resources to lead a normal life in their social and family isolation. Ricky Rubio spoke with both of them to fulfill his first act of volunteerism as a member of the Creu Roja, just minutes after registering at their headquarters on Calle Juan de Austria.

In a room overflowing with activity from the professionals and volunteers in charge of providing this and other assistance services over the phone, The Ricky Rubio Foundation, represented by Ricky himself, formalized an alliance with Creu Roja that represents the beginning of a close collaboration aimed primarily at improving the lives of the most vulnerable people and, in the short term, confronting the havoc that the pandemic has been wreaking on social coexistence for months.

Creu Roja’s President, Josep Quitet, accompanied Ricky Rubio on his visit to the facilities, where he was informed of the enormous deployment of people, means, and resources of the organization throughout the year, without rest, to cover all of its projects and objectives.From the central control room, on the fifth floor of the headquarters, Ricky Rubio was able to learn the details of the complex work system that, thanks to the capillarity of the organization, ensures total coverage of the territory and the possibility of serving all citizens wherever they are.

Then, once in the operating room, Ricky was quickly instructed to take part in his first voluntary work, in this case in the delicate fight against the loneliness of people who, for various reasons, have become isolated and in some cases unassisted, with many problems and needs both for domestic life and social relations.

Ricky Rubio talked with Nuria, a widow, who even during the pandemic could attend weekly memory workshops, project excursions and other experiences. Creu Roja also helps her, as Ricky knew, in financing her dental therapy and feeding kits. A native of Badalona like herself, Maria also said she knew him from when he played at the Penya, showing her appreciation for the personalized call and for Creu Roja’s work with people like her, widowed and alone, who are now receiving material to maintain and improve their cognitive functions.
At the end of the visit, Ricky Rubio reaffirmed his commitment to being useful to the Creu Roja, in addition to conveying his congratulations and appreciation for the humanitarian, assistance, material, and social work that the Creu Roja carries out.

He was accompanied on this visit by President Josep Quitet, Secretary Helena Fontanet, and Coordinator Enric Morist.