COMMUNITY MEMBERS:
If you or your organization are interested in volunteering for disaster preparation and response initiatives, please register online indicating an interest in disaster preparedness and response initiatives or contact Pam at pam@volunteerhoward.org or 410.715.3179. Consider attending one of the upcoming general disaster volunteer orientations (listed at the bottom of the home page) to learn more about ways to get involved before disaster strikes.

The center can refer you to organizations that train volunteers to meet the needs of the community in a disaster or emergency situation. If you already have a skill that you'd like to share with our community in a disaster or emergency, contact us to learn about organizations with which you can affiliate prior to an event. Pre-affiliation allows organizations to make the best use of your skills.

The Volunteer Center is a member of the Community Emergency Response Network (CERN), Howard County's Citizen Corps. For more information about CERN, please visit www.cern.us.

Following a disaster, please be patient if you wish to volunteer. Allow the center to take time to identify local community needs in order to refer volunteers more effectively. This will enable volunteers to complement rather than complicate the efforts of first responders, a goal that we all share.

Responding to disasters - considerations for those who want to help
Financial Contributions are Preferred: cash donations help to avoid the labor and expense of sorting, packing, transporting, storing, and distributing donated goods. Relief and response agencies can use cash to meet survivors' identified needs more quickly.
Donate through an experienced disaster relief, response, or recovery organization: information on reputable agencies responding to the disaster is typically available through news media and government websites or via press releases.
Confirm the need before collecting: donors should be wary of anyone who claims that "everything is needed." Groups can be disappointed when the goods they've collected aren't appreciated. Communities affected by disaster often do not have the time or resources to dispose of unneeded donations. Get precise information and confirm the need before collecting any donated good. Better yet, remember that financial contributions are preferred.
Volunteer Wisely: In communities struggling to respond to and recover from disasters, an influx of unexpected, unrequested, and unneeded volunteers can seriously complicate the process. BEFORE TRAVELING TO THE AREA TO HELP, learn whether volunteers are needed, if local volunteers are preferred (to minimize needs for additional food, water, and shelter in an already challenged area), and if they are seeking specific skills.

The Volunteer Center Serving Howard County will communicate with volunteers registered with an interest in disaster preparedness and response when we receive notification from agencies seeking volunteers to assist with recovery efforts. Please click here for more information on registering with the volunteer center. Thank you in advance for your patience as agencies work to determine their volunteer needs. Please consider submitting other interests on your registration form in order to get involved in your community, too!

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Young people interested in volunteering
for disaster preparedness and response should click here!

AGENCIES:
Plan ahead! Contact us if you are looking for ways to use volunteers before and after a disaster. Registering your volunteer needs early allows us to refer community members directly to your agency before disaster strikes. You can train volunteers as needed to help you prepare and recover, and even to help you assess your potential volunteer needs following a disaster.

No immediate need? Register your agency NOW to save valuable time later! Also, consider attending our Agency Disaster Volunteer Mobilization Center trainings to familiarize yourself with center operating procedures following a disaster - doing so could make a real difference in your agency's ability to respond quickly and efficiently. Contact Pam at pam@volunteerhoward.org to learn about upcoming training opportunities.

Click here to access the Agency Checklist for contacting the volunteer center following a disaster. Your agency will not be able to access potential volunteers through the volunteer center following a disaster without following the instructions on the checklist, so take a moment to familiarize yourself with the process!