Massive disasters like Hurricane Harvey create more needs than any one organization can meet on their own. The Red Cross is working very closely with the entire response community – including the Corporation for National and Community Service – to coordinate emergency relief efforts and get help to people as quickly as possible.

Call for TRAINED SHELTER MANAGERS

The Red Cross is looking for trained shelter managers in the affected areas. If you are interested to volunteer go to redcross.org and clicking on “Volunteer” through the regular channel.

If you are not a trained shelter manager and you would like to volunteer with the Red Cross, you should visit the volunteer section of redcross.org to apply to be a volunteer. As a member of AmeriCorps, you may have already deployed with the Red Cross and you can update your availability if you would like to serve.

Once you do that, please be patient–with the tremendous outpouring of support we are seeing, it will take some time to reach out to all those who have signed up to volunteer, even for these important opportunities. The effects of Harvey will be felt for a long time and the need for volunteers will continue.

When connecting with the Red Cross or other volunteer groups, please check first to learn about current opportunities and when volunteers are needed—before traveling to the affected areas independently. Access to relief operation areas is extremely difficult and search and rescue efforts are still ongoing. The safety of the people we serve and the volunteers who help them is of utmost importance. We have procedures in place to track who is volunteering for the Red Cross to help keep people safe.

A note on donating individual goods:

We are truly humbled by the outpouring of support we’ve seen for the many families devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Here’s a quick overview to help ensure your donation makes the most impact:

And finally, please remember your own safety:

You can find shelters by visiting redcross.org, downloading the free Red Cross Emergency App or calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Emergency App is available in app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.