Not Local to the National Capital Region? Make A Difference

For those that are not local to the National Capital Region, there are many other community events as part of "Make A Difference Day 2008".

Did you know that, "Make A Difference Day is the largest national day of helping others -- a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Everyone can participate. USA WEEKEND and Newman's Own salute Make A Difference Day volunteers by awarding $100,000 for charity."

The USA Weekend website lists many projects you can get involved with on Make A Difference Day.

Storm fast approaching, Neighbors Helping Neighbors Volunteers received formal notification and asked to deploy

Yesterday, we asked the question, "Should there be greater awareness of a single point for all volunteers to go to, such as http://www.1800volunteer.org/?"

Within 12 hours of posting Outside Looking In, Lessons Learned Before A Disaster and being requested not to self deploy, several of us have been requested to deploy to help with shelter operations for Hurricane Gustav.

How did they find us? What can you do to get involved?

http://www.helpindisaster.org/

The website is powered by 1-800-Volunteer.org A service of the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network.

Visit http://www.helpindisaster.org/ to register your skills, interests, and availability.

HelpInDisaster.org also provides the following guidance for volunteering in a disaster:

AVOID:

• Do not call organizations in the disaster area. Why?
• Do not travel to the disaster area. Why?

Remember even if there are opportunities listed, do not self deploy to these assignments, unless you receive formal notification.

If you are requested to deploy, please send us your experiences, so we can share them with other readers.

Visit 1-800-Volunteer.org to discover other non-disaster related volunteer opportunities with local and Volunteer Centers across the country.