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Partnering with FEMA and the National Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster (VOAD), the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network is the lead organization in the management of unaffiliated volunteer in disasters. Successful recovery depends on a well-developed mitigation, preparedness and response plan and the coordinated activity of local response organizations and government agencies.
Much of the long term recovery occuring within many communities post disaster is conducted using trained volunteers. To learn how you can get connected to an organization in need of volunteers, please go to www.helpindisaster.org. To learn about volunteer opportunities in your community, please go to www.1800volunteer.org.
Is your volunteer center responding to a local disaster? If so, please provide us with the information that we can post here. Email dsmith@PointsofLight.org.
July 2007 - Hurricane Victims Get New Homes
"God sent us a bunch of good people, and we just didn't know what to do," said Ray Hosey. His home in Grand Bay, Ala., was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. In January 2007, the Hosey family moved into a new home constructed with the help of volunteers and supported by Volunteer Mobile and the Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation, with assistance from the Points of Light Foundation.
Mobile County was one of the Gulf Coast counties affected by Hurricane Katrina - more than 88,000 county residents applied for aid from FEMA. The Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation designated Volunteer Mobile in Mobile, Alabama to receive a grant to build two houses for residents whose homes were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Volunteer Mobile was selected for the grant funds based on their experience and reputation for excellence. Volunteer Mobile partnered with Mennonite Disaster Services (MDS) on the projects. Families in need of homes were presented to Mobile County Long-term Recovery, Volunteer Mobile and MDS, who conducted site visits and interviews to help select the recipients. MDS provided up to 25 skilled volunteer laborers to complete the construction, along with required contract labor. MDS has more than 50 years of experience in disaster relief and recovery and has successfully partnered with Volunteer Mobile in the past.
Collaborating on a project of this kind with a major retail organization’s foundation was a great experience. Michael Dillaber, project director, described the working relationship with their Polo contacts as “Tremendous.” The Polo Jeans G.I.V.E. (Get Involved. Volunteer. Exceed.) campaign has generated more than $100,000 for nonprofit organizations. The Polo Ralph Lauren foundation, to help in the Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita relief efforts, conducted a Red Cross employee matching-donation program, employee and customer clothing drives, along with several other innovative hurricane relief programs. Not only did the organization share monies, but employees from the Polo outlets in Foley, Alabama and Gulfport, Mississippi, as well corporate leadership, helped with the hands on construction of both homes. A national recycling drive sponsored by Polo yielded more than 15,000 pairs of jean which were processed to make 25,000 lbs. of denim insulation. In fact, the recently completed homes were insulated with the product made from recycled blue jeans.
As he watched volunteers building his new home, Mr. Hosey acknowledged the work of all of those involved, "When God sent these people here it was a blessing to us, and we thank every single one of them."
By Michael Dillaber and Adrienne Segoris Love
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