Volunteer Center of North Texas needs help with Hurricane Ike Disaster Relief Operations

by PegNews wire

DALLAS — Volunteers are needed now, and for the next several days, both at the shelters and to work at phone banks, administrative offices, and warehouses of the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, the North Texas Food Bank and the Volunteer Center of North Texas.

The Volunteer Center of North Texas is scheduling all volunteers for these organizations. Organizations that can provide groups of volunteers should preferably go to this website to register as the toll free number, 1-866-797-8268, is very backed up.

The Volunteer Center of North Texas is among those charged with scheduling volunteers for shelters run by area municipalities, as well as for the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army.

We have just been notified by Harris County to expect 10,000 - 15,000 evacuees from that county alone, and 288 buses are already underway. As of Friday morning, the state is asking up to a million people to take shelter inland from the coast. Evacuation orders have already been issued for Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, Jefferson, Orange and Matagorda counties. Hurricane Ike will apparently be much more severe than Gustav, and volunteers will be needed beginning as soon as buses arrive in the North Texas area.

Calling all volunteers! Students 16 or older, parents and teachers who can help in this relief effort should visit this website or call the Volunteer Center at 1-866-797-8268 for more information about how to help. Weekend volunteer shifts will be available for clerical, phone bank and warehouse work at the Volunteer Center and the American Red Cross, Dallas chapter. If you represent a youth group that can volunteer, please call the above number to let us know the number of volunteers and your availability for scheduling.

Individuals who want to volunteer specifically at shelters must pass a criminal background check, and should go to this website where they will be directed to an online volunteer application form. After filling out the form and submitting it to the Volunteer Center, they will be contacted as needed.

If you have any additional questions, please call the Volunteer Center toll-free at 1-866-797-8268 or visit us online at this website.

Source: Volunteer Center of North Texas