[enter name of VOAD] members respond to disasters in [enter name of State]. Contact us to volunteer with a trusted [enter name of VOAD] member.
Just a friendly reminder to please BE PATIENT. You will be contacted once we have had an opportunity to assess the damage and identify unmet needs.
Seeing images of disaster may compel you to head to the impacted area. Don’t underestimate the complexity of working in a disaster area. Until a need has been identified and the local community impacted has requested support, volunteers should not enter.
- Be sure to contact us before coming to the disaster area.
- Wait until it is safe to travel to volunteer sites and opportunities have been identified.
- Once assigned a position, make sure you have been given an assignment and are wearing proper safety gear for the task.
Be patient. Recovery lasts a lot longer than the media attention. There will be volunteer needs for many months, often years, after the disaster – especially when the community enters the long-term recovery period.