Answering the Call to Service
 On September 8, 2008, USA Freedom Corps issued a report, “Answering the Call to Service,” which details the work of the initiative to help improve communities and change lives over nearly seven years under the President’s leadership. The report details the response from the millions of individuals who have answered the President’s Call to Service and used their power and energy to affect communities across America.
Read the report (PDF) |
En Español
On September 1st, Hurricane Gustav made landfall in the United States along the Louisiana coast as a strong Category 2 hurricane. Today, national service participants and volunteers in the Gulf Coast region and across the country are responding in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav and preparing for tropical storms Ike, and Josephine assembling to the south.
While we are encouraged by the lessened intensity of Hurricane Gustav, the needs are still great. The USA Freedom Corps office at the White House and the Corporation for National and Community Service are working in close coordination with numerous federal agencies and state and local leaders to respond to those needs.
Search here for volunteer opportunities in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. These opportunities may require travel and specialized training or skills.
 
 
For volunteer opportunities in the hurricane recovery area, please contact the sponsoring organization directly to confirm the volunteer opportunity and the organization's operating status. If you are planning on volunteering directly in the hurricane-affected area, please click here for important health information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the days and months to come, longer-term recovery efforts will also be underway and in need of support. Please refer to this website frequently for additional volunteer opportunities that are added as local needs are identified. We remind you that these services are best provided through coordinated efforts both locally and across the country and that it is still important for potential volunteers to not self-deploy.
Register as a Skilled Emergency Response Volunteer
Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas also offer a registration system for individuals who are willing to volunteer as needs arise.
Register as a Skilled Volunteer: Alabama
Register as a Skilled Volunteer: Mississippi
Register as a Skilled Volunteer: Texas
Find a Volunteer Opportunity in Your Community
Volunteers are currently needed nationwide to support both the relief effort in the hurricane-affected areas and ongoing community-based services.
Click here to find a volunteer opportunity in your community
The USA Freedom Corps Volunteer Network
The USA Freedom Corps Volunteer Network is the most comprehensive clearinghouse of volunteer opportunities ever available, and includes all opportunities offered by a range of partner organizations including 1-800-Volunteer.org, America's Promise, AmeriCorps, Citizen Corps, Idealist.org, Mentor, the Peace Corps, Senior Corps, SERVENet.org, the United Way, Volunteer.gov/gov, and VolunteerMatch. Opportunities from www.VolunteerLouisiana.gov and www.VolunteerMississippi.org are also included in the Volunteer Network.
If your organization is currently operating in the disaster area and has volunteer opportunities that you would like to appear on this site, please click here for more information.
If you are unable to volunteer, we are urging those who want to help people affected by the storm to make donations to nonprofit organizations that are active in disaster work.
General Donations
Donate Now: FEMA / Aidmatrix / National Donations Management Network
Donate Now: American Red Cross
Donate Now: Network for Good
Donate Now: Salvation Army
Donations by State
Donate Now: Alabama (Aidmatrix)
Donate Now: Louisiana (Aidmatrix)
Donate Now: Mississippi (Aidmatrix)
Donate Now: Texas (Aidmatrix)
Donate Now: Tennessee - please call 1-866-586-4483 to assist Gustav evacuees |
