Volunteer Organizations Are Making a Difference
Release Date: October 5, 2004
Release Number: 1539-169
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The largest volunteer effort ever organized in Florida has swept the state in the wake of Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne.
More than 85,000 people and more than 100 community and faith-based organizations have pitched in to help the state recover. That list of 100 includes only those organizations that work in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Countless other groups and individuals have pitched in as well, contributing in a wide variety of ways.
These organizations are offering services to any hurricane victim in need. Some of the services provided include meals, debris removal, home repair, temporary housing, pet care, special needs for the elderly or handicapped, transportation, mental health counseling or health care services. Most services are free of charge.
“The amount of concern and care demonstrated by these organizations is overwhelming,” according to Ken Skalitzky, FEMA volunteer project coordinator. “We commend the volunteers for their dedication to rebuild devastated communities and offering a healing hand to their neighbors in need.”
While some of the organizations offer volunteer services for response efforts, many focus on long-term recovery activities such as rebuilding homes and businesses once debris and damaged structures have been removed. By coordinating with each other through “long-term recovery committees,” which FEMA helps set up and partners with, the organizations can know that their efforts are being used to maximum effect and do not duplicate each other’s services or those of government agencies.
“Our state and federal agencies do the kinds of things government agencies do best,” said State Coordinating Officer Craig Fugate of the State Emergency Response Team (SERT), “and together we partner with the volunteer organizations to take advantage of what they do best. The teamwork benefits everyone in Florida.”
“We will have a presence in these communities as long as there is a need,” said Bill Carwile, FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer. “But many of the volunteers will be here permanently, because they live and work in their local communities. We encourage everyone to support them and their organizations.”
For more information on how you can sign up to be a volunteer with one of the many organizations FEMA is coordinating, please call 1-800-FLHELP1. You can also find information about volunteer organizations by visiting http://www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org.
Below is a partial listing of volunteer organizations actively involved in the recovery. You may also contact these organizations directly to see how you can get involved.
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is a collaboration of Florida’s state agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT’s mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impact. Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org for the latest information on the hurricane relief effort.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Volunteer Organizations Assisting Floridians
Florida Hurricane Relief Fund
1-800-825-3786
www.flahurricanefund.org
Adventist Community Services
1-800-381-7171
www.communityservices.org
America’s Second Harvest
800-771-2303
www.secondharvest.org
American Red Cross
1-800-HELP-NOW
To volunteer in Florida
1-877-443-7589
www.redcross.org
Catholic Charities USA
800-919-9338
Catholiccharitiesusa.org
Christian Contractors Association
1-800-278-7703
christiancontractorsassociation.org
Christian Disaster Response
941-956-5224
cdresponse.org
Church of the Brethren Disaster Response
800-451-4407
brethrendisasterresponse.org
Church World Service
800-297-1516
www.churchworldservice.org
Convoy of Hope
800-988-0664
www.convoyofhope.org
Daily Bread Food Banks of Miami-Dade, Broward & Palm Beach
305-633-9861
www.dailybread.org
Farm Share
305-246-3276
www.farmshare.org
Florida Baptist Convention
800-226-8584
flbaptist.org
Florida Conference United Church of Christ
Orlando, FL 32803
www.uccfla.org
Florida Interfaith Networking in Disaster
407-265-7376
www.floridadisasters.org
The Humane Society of the United States - Disaster Services
(888)-259-5431
https://secure.hsus.org/01/disaster_relief_fund
Lutheran Disaster Response
800-638-3522
www.elca.org/disaster
Mennonite Disaster Services
717-859-2210
www.mds.mennonite.net
Many Waters Volunteer Engineers
1-888-570-1344
www.manywaters.org
www.jesusis4.org
National Organization for Victim Assistance
202-232-6682 x 105
www.trynova.org
Nazarene Disaster Response
800 -233-8962
Email: ndr@nazarene.org
Operation Blessing International
757-226-3919
www.ob.org
Presbyterian Church (USA)
800-872-3283
Email: PresbyTel@ctr.pcusa.org
The Salvation Army
1-800-996-ARMY
Salvationarmyflorida.org
Southern Baptist Convention
770-410-6100
www.namb.net
Suncoast Humane Society
941-474-7884
www.humane.org
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
800-554-8583
umcor-ngo.org
The United Way of Florida
850-488-8276
www.hurricanerelief.org
Feed the Children
1-800-525-7575
www.feedthechildren.org
Last Modified: Friday, 18-May-2007 08:25:39