FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 30, 2005
CONTACT: Scott VanDeman, (850) 414-2974,
Cell: (850) 251-2834
Hurricane Volunteers: Donate and Serve Wisely to Help Hurricane Victims
See
volunteerflorida.org for details
An informed approach to Hurricane Donations and
Volunteer
Service maximizes the value of your efforts.
STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, TALLAHASSEE – As
residents in South Florida and all along the Gulf Coast
begin recovering and rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina,
Volunteer Florida encourages everyone to contribute
wisely toward recovery efforts. Consider the following
before you donate goods, money, or your time.
Financial Contributions are Preferred:
Cash donations
help to avoid the labor and expense of sorting, packing,
transporting and distributing donated goods, and
voluntary relief agencies can use cash to meet hurricane
victims’ specific needs more quickly.
Donate through an Experienced Disaster Relief
Organization:
Relief agencies prefer the versatility of
cash donations; however, some have the infrastructure in
place to store and distribute donated goods. To prevent
waste, donations of goods should be made only to
agencies that have requested specific items.
Confirm the Need Before Collecting:
Donors should be
wary of anyone who claims that “everything is needed.”
Many groups have been disappointed that their efforts
and the goods they collected were not appreciated. A
community hit by disaster, however, does not have the
time, manpower or money to dispose of unneeded
donations. Get precise information and confirm the need
before collecting any donated goods.
Volunteer Wisely to Help Others:
In a community
struggling to respond to and recover from a disaster, an
influx of unexpected or unneeded volunteers and
donations can make the process even more difficult.
Before traveling to the disaster area to help, learn
where and when your skills will be needed. Discuss with
volunteer organizers how your needs for food, water and
shelter will be met while you are volunteering.
Visit Volunteer Florida for links to disaster relief
organizations:
The Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism
and Community Service, Volunteer Florida, offers a
comprehensive directory of links to disaster relief
organizations that will be assisting hurricane victims
in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Volunteer
Florida’s Web site is located at volunteerflorida.org.
The Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and
Community Service was established in 1994 by the Florida
Legislature to administer grants under the National and
Community Service Trust Act of 1993. The Commission
grants funds to Florida AmeriCorps and National Service
programs; encourages volunteerism for everyone from
youths to seniors to people with disabilities; promotes
volunteerism in emergency management and preparedness;
and helps to strengthen and expand Volunteer Centers in
Florida.
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