Each year, veteran-led disaster relief organization Team Rubicon marks Go Day on January 13—the anniversary of the moment in 2010 when a small team of eight volunteers made the pivotal choice to “go” to Haiti after a catastrophic earthquake, laying the foundation for what has become a global disaster response force.
Now in 2026, Team Rubicon is getting ready to honor 16 years of service by reinforcing its core ethos: action over hesitation. Go Day isn’t just an anniversary—it’s a call to serve, train, and act in communities across the U.S and beyond.
What Go Day Means
Go Day commemorates the organization’s first deployment on January 13, 2010, when Marine Corps veterans and first responders set out for Haiti to provide urgent aid following a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake. That moment is now a yearly reminder of Team Rubicon’s mission: to rapidly respond to disasters and help communities in their darkest hours. For Team Rubicon, Go Day is more than history; it’s about renewing commitment to service and inspiring others to step forward—whether by volunteering, assisting locally, or joining the organization’s ranks of volunteers, known as Greyshirts.
Disaster Relief Operations Continue on Go Day
Every year, Team Rubicon recognizes Go Day by volunteering in communities that need it most. Nearly 100 Greyshirts will be deployed on disaster response operations in the U.S. and Caribbean this Go Day.
In Jamaica, more than two dozen Greyshirts are deployed on Team Rubicon’s continued response to Hurricane Melissa. Domestically, nearly three dozen Greyshirts are deployed in Milwaukee County, WI, mucking out homes and addressing unmet needs from the August 2025 flooding that damaged thousands of homes.
More than two dozen Greyshirts will also be supporting the Redlands Fire Department’s initiative for fire mitigation on Go Day, where they’ll be conducting brush clearance, ladder fuel reduction, selective tree removal, debris removal, and more in and around the City of Redlands, CA.
75 Service Projects, Trainings, and Events Planned for 2026 Anniversary
Service on Go Day is not limited to disaster response operations. In fact, Team Rubicon has 75 service projects and training events across the U.S. planned to recognize Go Day, allowing volunteers to engage in community work, preparedness sessions, and disaster response training.
Among those Go Day events are a service project in Snoqualmie, WA, to help a family recover from the atmospheric flooding that happened in December of 2025; a community feeding event in Egan, MN, where Greyshirts will pack meals for the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children; a Hurricane Helene Recovery Chainsaw Service Project in Smyth County, VA, and many more.
Whether it’s packing meals for local food banks, supporting disaster mitigation projects, or hosting deployment workshops, Team Rubicon’s Greyshirts contribute in ways that strengthen communities long before disasters strike. To join one, visit https://rollcall-events.teamrubiconusa.org/find-events and search by the phrase “Go Day” to find service projects and events within your community.
You Don’t Need to be a Long-time Greyshirt to Participate
While Go Day may be Team Rubicon’s official anniversary, you don’t have to be a long-time Greyshirt to participate in one of 75 events happening across the U.S. To attend a Go Day event or volunteer on a Go Day service project, simply sign up to volunteer and become a Greyshirt. Once your profile is complete, you will begin receiving texts and/or emails inviting you to deploy on operations, join in on service projects, and more. Simply click through to register your availability, or visit Team Rubicon’s Roll Call calendar to find Go Day events to participate in.
Why Go Day Matters
For Team Rubicon volunteers and supporters, Go Day is a reminder of purpose and potential—honoring the courage of the first Greyshirts and inspiring others to follow their lead. It’s a day to reflect on how much the organization has grown and to reaffirm its commitment to service, community resilience, and rapid response in the face of disaster, and an opportunity to serve a community in need, now.
