Dear Readers,

There are moments in life that make you stop and count your blessings. The recent natural disasters on the Gulf Coast provided several of those moments. As America witnessed the extent of widespread devastation affecting hundreds of thousands of its citizens, the images of Katrina and Rita conjured emotions of hopelessness and despair. However, amid the ruins, hope is being restored to thousands of victims by volunteers eager to help their fellow citizens rebuild their lives.

For more than 10 years, the Foundation has engaged volunteers in meaningful service efforts aimed at solving serious social problems such as hunger, homelessness, and poverty. However, the destruction caused by Katrina and Rita raised the need for not only volunteers, but also for volunteer management. The Foundation, through its network of Volunteer Centers throughout the country, is providing both leadership and technical support with 1-800-Volunteer.org to manage the growing number of volunteers responding to these hurricanes.

In the days following Katrina and Rita, the Foundation responded quickly by deploying personnel to the region and by establishing a disaster relief fund to assist Volunteer Centers, the lifeline of the community volunteer effort. 1-800-Volunteer.org became the official registry for volunteers in the Gulf region providing an online network to register and place the growing number of people wanting to help. In this issue of To The Point, we highlight the role the Foundation is playing in the disaster relief efforts. The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network understand that the process to rebuild and renew the lives of all those affected by these natural disasters will take years. We are prepared to continue directing our resources to benefit each and every survivor.

Doug Gledhill
Senior Vice President & Chief Finance Officer
Points of Light Foundation