Visit www.1-800-Volunteer.org to Volunteer for Hurricane Katrina Recovery Efforts
Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana to use www.1-800-Volunteer.org to Manage Volunteers

WASHINGTON, DC (September 12, 2005) – 1-800-Volunteer.org, a service of the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network, is the official registry for volunteers interested in helping with Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. A national online network, 1-800-Volunteer.org helps volunteers find local and national opportunities to serve.

Volunteers interested in assisting in the affected areas in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama can click on the state where they want to serve. Volunteer Centers are using the online system to place volunteers in areas identified by their local emergency management offices. Due to the heavy volume of requests to help, Volunteer Centers ask for patience as they identify and assign volunteers.

The service is in use at the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service; the Alabama Office of Governor's Faith Based and Community Initiatives; and Points of Light Volunteer Centers in Louisiana to help them manage the large response from volunteers who want to assist with the relief and recovery efforts.

"When we saw how effective 1-800-Volunteer.org was during the recovery efforts of Hurricane Emily, we knew we had a tool that would be critical to the volunteer management efforts in the Gulf States," said Robert Goodwin, president and CEO of the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network. "We believe the combination of an online system – which will free up local phone lines and lessen the call center volume, as well as provide a database system to these states – with the volunteer placement capability of our Volunteer Centers, will provide a package of expertise and services that will ensure that volunteers are placed where they are needed most."

Volunteers, many of whom are not trained to assist in disasters, play an important role after the first responders address immediate needs. With a recovery period lasting months and even years, volunteers will play a critical role in providing food, water, medical care, shelter and meeting the basic needs of those who are suffering. From operating Volunteer Mobilization Centers in areas hit by disaster to organizing unaffiliated volunteers and leading and supporting long-term volunteer recovery efforts, Volunteer Centers are a key element in helping communities recover and rebuild. Supporters can assist in this vital work by donating to the Points of Light Disaster Recovery Fund at www.PointsofLight.org.

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About 1-800-Volunteer.org
1-800-Volunteer.org, a service of the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network, is the only online community-based volunteer management tool that combines recruiting tools, reporting, emergency response and volunteer recognition features. Designed by and built especially for Volunteer Centers, the 1-800-Volunteer.org system allows volunteers to search and find opportunities 24 hours a day. The service is available in English and Spanish and is free for local organizations and volunteers. 1-800-Volunteer.org has a statewide partnership with the state of Mississippi and Washington and works with over 100 Volunteer Centers in 31 states with over 53,000 volunteers currently using the system. For more information, visit www.1-800-Volunteer.org.