volunteers needed

[GSTamral]

We are working with giftsinkind.org and americas second harvest to provide free shipping, logistics, and volunteers for medical supplies and food to the region, however, while we have received plenty of money, medical supplies and non-perishable food stocks, we have not been able to get nearly enough volunteers to help set up mobile kitchens and hospitals in the surrounding regions.

These temporary mobile facilities will NOT be set up in the disaster area, but in the surrounding regions, such as Jackson, MS, and Dallas, TX, to provide support, shelter, food, and medical care to those who have been evacuated but do not have any place to go. Terms of commitment for volunteering run from as little as one weekend to however long you wish to give.

Licensed physicians and nurses that wish to participate should work with their local or regional staff, and those willing to help in other ways (cooking, food distribution, storage, etc..), can register with americas second harvest, under the options to volunteer time. My team is leaving NJ and Atlanta tonight and will be in Jackson next week, so come even if the reason is that you just want to make fun of me, so long as you are willing to work, and physically capable of working in some difficult conditions. You must be capable of lifting 70 lbs to qualify.

For those of you willing to actually do something, rather than just talk about it, here's an opportunity.

[Keller]

Originally posted by GSTamral
. . . For those of you willing to actually do something, rather than just talk about it, here's an opportunity.


. . . :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: . . .

That reminds me of this kid who, instead of just bragging about his manical fantasies of retributive justice against hackers, actually acted on them. Who was that anyways?

:thinking:

[Edited on 9-2-2005 by Keller]

[Sean of the Thread]

Will they provide transportation and lodging? I'm clicking on the give time but the site keep crashing out. Provide me some more details and I'm in like Flint.

P.s. I am NOT bringing my laptop.

[Edited on 9-2-2005 by Xyelin]

[GSTamral]

Will they provide transportation?
No

and lodging?
Yes. Cots will be set up in a seperate facility for volunteers.

[ElanthianSiren]

:( Why do you need to be able to lift 70 lbs to serve soup to poor sick people?

-M

[GSTamral]

The supply boxes that are being delivered to the area weigh up to 70 lbs. I don't know why that is being considered a general recommendation, being those who will be cooking, serving, or setting up shelters probably do not need that, but I can only assume they are asking that because they are expecting volunteers to do a bit of everything.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

<For those of you willing to actually do something, rather than just talk about it, here's an opportunity.>

Is this like say, voting?

[GSTamral]

<<
Is this like say, voting?
>>

No, its like, helping people who need food, shelter and water.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Your audacity to imply that the people here don’t walk the walk versus you and your altruistic values is laughable. It’s great that for once you may actually be doing something instead of postulating on the values of voting, while not voting, or about how you saved your little town from a hacker.

Just don’t end your well intentioned post with an implication that you are better than everyone else and that they are “just talking”. You have way to much egg on your face to do so.

Now please write a wall of text about how much better than everyone else you are.

[GSTamral]

Then please, by all means, volunteer and do something. We need all the people we can get.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Actually I have been. For the last 4 days I've been working in a telethon every night after work; it's raised over 780k as of last night.

[SpunGirl]

There's a local insurance firm in LV that's loading up two 48-foot semis with bottled water to drive it to distribute to victims, I drove over four cases this morning.

I'm not sure what else to do. If I could, I would pick up and go over there now. I would love to be able to volunteer my time, my personal effort and sweat, to put into this relief. But I can't leave my job, because I would lose it.

I'd love to be about to go the distance and BE there. But I can't. I need an alternative that feels more satisfying than writing a check or buying water. Anyone have any ideas?

-K

[Bobmuhthol]

Lifting 70 pounds isn't that hard of a recommendation..

[Gan]

Since you're geographically bound, I'd say take over responsibilities for someone who CAN be go there. Thereby indirectly helping by freeing up someone else so they can go.

I've dropped off 2 boxes of clothes so far, and would be down onsite since I'm here in Houston; however, since I'm the one keeping my 3 year old son at home, it is allowing my wife, who's a nurse, to be down there instead. Her skills are much more needed than mine at this point.

[Sean of the Thread]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
Lifting 70 pounds isn't that hard of a recommendation..

I doubt YOU could lift/carry 70lbs over and over.

[Amber]

Originally posted by SpunGirl
I need an alternative that feels more satisfying than writing a check or buying water. Anyone have any ideas?


You know how at Christmas time, they have the "Trees of sharing" in the malls where you take an ornament off the tree and buy gifts for the person described on the back? You know, male, 4 years old, wants a Spiderman car. Wears size four. Favorite color red.

I always give to toys for tots and think it's a great program, but I do a Tree of Sharing too because it feels more personal.

Maybe we could set up something similar for a couple of the shelters and buy a couple of things for the kids there. I've been shopping for blankets and pillows to drop off at the shelters in Spring and Huntsville this weekend. They're some of the smaller shelters, so this may be logistically possible. Let me know if there's an interest and I'll check and see if the shelter officials would be game.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<I doubt YOU could lift/carry 70lbs over and over.>>

Congratulations.

[Back]

Originally posted by SpunGirl
There's a local insurance firm in LV that's loading up two 48-foot semis with bottled water to drive it to distribute to victims, I drove over four cases this morning.

I'm not sure what else to do. If I could, I would pick up and go over there now. I would love to be able to volunteer my time, my personal effort and sweat, to put into this relief. But I can't leave my job, because I would lose it.

I'd love to be about to go the distance and BE there. But I can't. I need an alternative that feels more satisfying than writing a check or buying water. Anyone have any ideas?

-K

Hey Spun,

You might check your local supermarkets tonight or tomorrow. I know a few in my area are collecting for delivery tomorrow.

And I wouldn’t call writing a check insubstantial. It really is a big help and a generous effort.

[Jazuela]

You could clean your closets out of clothing you haven't worn in the past few years (stuff that just accumulates it til you realize it's just taking up space) and haul it over to the Salvation Army. They're collecting clothes for the folks down there. You could also help the Salvation Army sort clothes and pack boxes - it's mostly volunteer work.

You could go to your local Red Cross and ask if there's some way you can help in ways other than donating money, in your location. I'm sure they could have you help with the phones, answering questions from people asking what to do, addresses to send money to, where to go if they're part of a crew going down, etc. etc. etc.

You could give blood - I'm guessing they'll be needing it.

You could help organize a neighborhood collection drive.

You could work with local agencies in organizing town-wide collection drives.

You could ask some neighborhood stores if they'd be interested in offering a "coupon-value" promotion where the weekly coupons are forfeit by the customer in exchange for a monetary donation to the Red Cross by the store. (So they buy a can of food, give the cashier a coupon for 20 cents off, but the store takes the coupon, charges the regular price anyway, and donates the 20 cents to the red cross).

Lots of things you could do other than just sending a check.