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Oklahoma Tornadoes

Oklahoma Tornadoes

We are working with our local affiliates and national partners in the aftermath of the Oklahoma tornadoes to determine the best ways to coordinate volunteer assistance. We know you want to help! Please register your interest to volunteer here.

Action Center Updates

Oklahoma Tornadoes

We are working with our local affiliates and national partners in the aftermath of the Oklahoma tornadoes to determine the best ways to coordinate volunteer assistance. We know you want to help! Please register your interest to volunteer here. Check back here for updates. And follow us at @pointsoflight and @hondisaster.

Texas Explosion

At this time, we are in communication with our Texas affiliates that are most near the town of West Texas. The Volunteer Center of North Texas (80 miles away) is in active communication with One Star Foundation, the state and local VOAD and the Texas Conservation Corps.

Team Rubicon and the Texas Conservation Corps are setting up a Volunteer Reception Center and the One Star Foundation has set up a virtual volunteer reception center which can be found here: http://onestarfoundation.org/news/how-to-help-the-citizens-of-west-tx/

How to Help: http://www.keyetv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/how-help-west-texas-emergency-resources-8109.shtml

More information on the situation/incident: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/19/us/huge-blast-at-texas-fertilizer-plant.html

Boston Marathon (Updated April 17, 2013)

Points of Light’s thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy in Boston on Monday. We salute all who have stepped up to help in the face of a horrible event. Boston Cares reports receiving incredible support from the community, as have many service organizations. It is in that spirit that generationOn, Points of Light’s youth initiative, provides the following resources and projects to empower young people to make a positive impact in their communities.

www.generationOn.org/celebrate-kindness

Click here for latest updates from Boston Cares.

Hurricane Sandy (Updated February 28, 2013) 

HandsOn Network affiliates continue to be actively engaged in the Hurricane Sandy recovery. Six affiliates (listed below with map and links) are working to engage more volunteers and coordinate with the long term recovery committees to help the communities impacted recover and rebuild.

GET ENGAGED! Click the affiliate links below to find a volunteer opportunity

DONATE! The recovery will be a long process. Click here to support our efforts

Active Affiliates responding to Hurricane Sandy:

Click on the picture below to interact with our HandsOn Network Affiliates activated for Hurricane Sandy:

handson_activated_affilliates_sandy.png

HandsOn Network is working with HandsOn Network Volunteer Action Centers and partners activated across the northeast to help coordinate the volunteer response to Hurricane Sandy. Below is the list of all the active affiliates responding to this disaster. Please click on the links below to register your interest or to find a volunteer opportunity:

NEW YORK

New York Cares, New York City

Long Island Volunteer Center, Long Island, NY

NEW JERSEY

Jersey Cares, Newark, NJ

Volunteer Center of Bergen County, Hackensack, NJ

Volunteer Center of Philadelphia and South New Jersey

RHODE ISLAND

Serve Rhode Island, Rhode Island, RI

 

Northeast Winter Storm/Hattiesburg Tornado Updates

Points of Light is in active communication with our local HandsOn Network affiliates and the Corporation for National and Community Service State Commission offices  to assess the needs of communities affected by the winter storm in the Northeast and by the tornado in Hattiesburg, MS.

Please visit our website for continuing updates of new projects and opportunities to serve.

Disaster resources:

Good and Ready. Visit Points of Light’sEmergency Preparedness website to create a plan.

Also visit  serve.gov for list of ways to stay SAFE  during winter storms.

 

Sandy Hook Incident Jan 2013 update

We have been communicating with our affiliate in Connecticut and other national partners regarding the Sandy Hook event in Newtown, CT  http://www.uwwesternct.org/

 

Hurricane Isaac Update

HandsOn New Orleans is actively working with nearly 40 different local agencies to assist with Hurricane Isaac recovery and relief work by providing volunteer recruitment and management resources for our partners. Through our collaboration with the Louisiana Service Commission, our reach covers a seven-parish region surrounding the city of New Orleans, and includes some of the hardest-hit areas such as Plaqumines, St. John the Baptist and Tangipahoa Parish.

Since August 29th when Hurricane Isaac passed over the region, HandsOn New Orleans has already mobilized hundreds of volunteers, provided much-need assistance to 36 local partner agencies, and reached over 900 residents during a community outreach campaign centered around hurricane preparedness and fire safety. HandsOn's commitment remains to our local partners, to our wonderful volunteers, and to this rich, proud region as it once again triumphs over adversity. Join us in that effort today!

Take action. Make an impact. Stay involved

 

 

Minot, North Dakota Recovery –Our partners continue to support the long term recovery of the flooding that impacted Minot, North Dakota.

To Volunteer and find updates about Hope Village please Click Here.

 

September 12, 2012

HandsOn Network Affiliates along the Gulf Coast are continuing to coordinate the volunteer response for Hurricane Isaac.
 

The Volunteer Center of Metro United Way 

Volunteer Reception Center

 Monroe Township Volunteer Fire Department

 315 S. Ferguson St.  2nd floor – enter through back door

 Henryville, IN 47126

 Phone number is still: 502. 599-8557.

 Website is www.march2recovery.org

 

Please click on the following links to register your interest or to find a volunteer opportunity.

 

 

 

In the News

NEWS

VOLUNTEER CENTER OF BERGEN COUNTY, INC. 

64 Passaic Street       Hackensack, NJ  07601       Phone:  201-489-9454   

www.bergenvolunteers.org 

Contact:   Tess Tomasi (201) 489-9454 Ext.  114

March 11, 2013                                                                                       

 Bergen County Residents Affected by Hurricane Sandy To Have Damage Assessed

Important Step on Road to Recovery from flood, wind or tree damage 

Bergen County--The Bergen County VOAD Long Term Recovery Committee has partnered with World Renew, an international Christian relief group, to have teams of volunteers conduct a door-to-door survey of Bergen County residents who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy, primarily in the flood area in Southern Bergen County. The surveys will be conducted in person and by phone from March 19 through March 28.

Thousands of households in Bergen County filed applications for FEMA assistance after the storm. The survey is an important step in finding families who need help and making sure that their recovery needs are met. The World Renew volunteers who will be conducting the assessments will be coming from other areas of the country. They are specially trained to assess damage, assist with federal relief forms, and deal with psychological aftereffects from loss. In the recovery community, the World Renew volunteers are known simply as the “Green Shirts” because of their uniforms. The Green Shirts have been conducting the surveys in response to disasters around the country for 20 years and plan on bringing survey teams to all of the heavily impacted communities. Bergen County is the first Hurricane Sandy area that the teams will visit.

Bergen County residents who have been affected by the storm don’t have to wait for the Green Shirts to knock on their doors. Residents can also call the Recovery Information Center at 201-470-3143 Tuesday through Saturday to do an assessment over the phone. Residents can also do an assessment in person at the Little Ferry Library at 239 Liberty Street in Little Ferry on Mondays from 3pm-6 pm, or at the Recovery Information Center at the Moonachie First Presbyterian Church at 221 Moonachie Road in Moonachie from 11 am to 7 pm Tuesday through Friday or Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm. All residents of Bergen County are eligible to fill out an assessment and to find out about recovery resources available to them. Residents who sustained wind and tree damage but who live outside the flood area are encouraged to call the Information Center to do an assessment.

The Bergen County VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) Hurricane Sandy Long Term Recovery Committee is a network made up of representatives of dozens of organizations, and the LTRC meets regularly to coordinate the recovery effort. Members include home repair nonprofits, faith-based groups, social service organizations, and government agencies. The Bergen VOAD was formed in 1999 and a Long Term Recovery Committee was formed in response to Sandy.  The Volunteer Center of Bergen County is the coordinating agency for the Bergen VOAD.  Information about the Long Term Recovery Committee can be found on their website at www.bergenvoad.org.

 

February 2013

February 2013: Points of Light and CNCS hosts 100 HandsOn Network affiliate leaders and State Commissions in partnership with FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg to train on Spontaneous Volunteer Management in Times of Disaster

Good & Ready Launches with the Support of the Allstate Foundation and the Target Corporation! 

 

January 3, 2013

Helping hands - Volunteer Center director makes sure they’re put to the best use.

Within days after superstorm Sandy flooded parts of Moonachie and Little Ferry, volunteers from around the region and around the country descended on the devastated neighborhoods eager to help.

Read complete article...

 

December 24, 2012

We have been communicating with our affiliate in Connecticut and other national partners regarding the Sandy Hook event in Newtown, CT  http://www.uwwesternct.org/

 

October 30, 2012

Hands On Network is working with HandsOn Network Volunteer Action Centers and partners activated across the northeast to help coordinate the volunteer response to Hurricane Sandy. We are currently supporting the American Red Cross and 211 operations throughout the region. Please click here to find a Volunteer Center active in this disaster and register your interest to serve.

 

October 28, 2012

“HandsOn Network is continuing to monitor Hurricane Sandy. We are working with our affiliates to prepare their organizations to coordinate the volunteer response. Please come back for more information.”

 

 

September 25, 2012

 

Long Island Volunteer Center continues to support those impacted by Hurricane Irene

 

Click here: Still Hurting from Hurricane Irene? Help is on the Way | PRLog

 
September 12, 2012
 
HandsOn Network Affiliates along the Gulf Coast are continuing to coordinate the volunteer response for Hurricane Isaac.
 

The Volunteer Center of Metro United Way 

Volunteer Reception Center

 Monroe Township Volunteer Fire Department

 315 S. Ferguson St.  2nd floor – enter through back door

 Henryville, IN 47126

 Phone number is still: 502. 599-8557.

 Website is www.march2recovery.org

 

Please click on the following links to register your interest or to find a volunteer opportunity.

 
 
 

Overview

HandsOn Volunteer Centers can point proudly to their role in the disaster response support and the growing importance of volunteers in this arena over the last decade. HandsOn Volunteer Centers and other volunteer connector organizations have become critical players in the field of emergency management and are designated as lead agencies for disaster volunteer coordination in many local communities and states.

From tornadoes to hurricanes HandsOn Network, Our Volunteer Centers and our partners have learned a lot about managing volunteers in times of disaster.

  • If we didn’t know it before, we know it now . . . volunteers will come! And they will come, whether we are ready or not.
  • Many people have a strong psychological need to volunteer in a disaster. They find that acting on the desire to help, in what can feel like a hopeless situation, is empowering.
  • Volunteers who have not previously affiliated with a disaster response agency represent a tremendous resource for a community that’s been hit with a disaster. When volunteers are well-coordinated, everyone benefits.
  • A strong pre-disaster partnership between a HandsOn Volunteer Center and local government for spontaneous volunteer coordination translates to more effective response and recovery.
  • More than ever, we have seen the importance of volunteers as a resource to serve the most vulnerable people in our communities.
  • Check out what our Volunteer Centers are currently doing relating to disasters.



HandsOn Network’s work focuses on the fact that “all disasters are local.” Our strength comes from the efforts of our Action Centers in three distinct areas:

  • Spontaneous unaffiliated volunteer management (SUVs) and in managing Volunteer Reception Centers (VRCs) in times of disaster
  • Defining non-profit needs in times of disaster and matching volunteers to those needs
  • Large-scale project execution as part of long-term recovery

 
Ready to Respond
HandsOn Network published Ready to Respond in 2009 that shared information and guidance to better prepare communities for emergencies and for the convergence of spontaneous volunteers.

This free resource is full of helpful information and guidance to make your community better prepared for emergencies and for the convergence of unaffiliated volunteers.

Download the PDF here
 

Tools/Resources

HandsOn Network Disaster Services Webinar Series 2013 Brought to you by the KPMG Foundation

Call In Number: 1-888-619-1583

Code:  5411580

  • April 23rd 3pm EST-Disaster Response and Recovery and HandsOn Connect. Be Prepared! Please Join Gilbert Gonzales, Disaster Services Manager at Volunteer Los Angeles and National HON Disaster Committee member as he walks through how he has built out a Virtual Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) on the HandsOn Connect platform!  
  • May 7th 3pm EST  -A Glimpse into a Local Affiliate’s Disaster Preparedness Program. Please Join Grelia Soliz, Emergency Management Specialist at Volunteer Arlington and National HON Disaster Committee member as she presents Volunteer Arlington’s Volunteer Emergency Support Team (VEST) and how they engage these volunteers in preparing their community year round!
  • June-Disaster 101 (Presenter TBD)
  • July 25th 3pm EST- Engaging Volunteers to help prepare 10% of your city’s population! Please Join Mary Foley, Executive Director, Volunteer Prince Williams as she presents Volunteer Prince Williams’ local preparedness programming in schools, elderly homes and in neighborhoods

Disaster Preparedness Virtual Exercise 2013 Series

HandsOn Network has developed an easy way to engage community and volunteer leaders in disaster preparedness through a nationwide virtual exercise series. This exercise series has the following opportunities to engage in 2013:

  • Flood Exercise: Thursday March 21, 2013
  • Hurricane Exercise: Thursday May 23, 2013
  • Volunteer Management In Times of Disaster Exercise: Thursday August 22, 2013
  • Pandemic Exercise: Thursday September 12, 2013

*This exercise series is free and open to the public. We ask that YOU organize your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to lead a simulated virtual exercise to help increase your communities' preparedness to respond to the next natural disaster.

  1. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to register for the exercise
  2. Mark your calendars
  3. Host a preparedness exercise from your family room, office, church, or school
  4. Share your story and/or experience on the Good & Ready website

2012 Disaster Webinar Series - Community Preparedness Webinar

Good & Ready

Good & Ready is an on-line and on-the-ground emergency preparedness engagement initiative led by Points of Light working with core partners including Ready.gov, the American Red Cross and the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes. Good & Ready is evolving into a year-long platform focused on engaging people to prepare themselves, their families and communities, with a specific and important emphasis on increasing youth and family engagement. Below are Volunteer Leader Project Play Guides to help develop your preparedness or mitigation project with your family, friends, neighbors or community.

 

2011 Disaster Webinar Series - Brought to you by KPMG

 

2010 Disaster Webinar Series - Brought to you by KPMG

 

HandsOn Resources

 

National Resources

 

Community Resources

Relevant/Related Media