|
FLORIDA VOLUNTEER AND DONATION HOTLINE OPERATOR TIP SHEET (Updated 8/22/08) Thank you for your willingness to volunteer! Please answer the phone : Florida Volunteer and Donation Hotline, this is (first name), how may I help you? Thank you for being friendly, helpful and compassionate to callers. They, like us, are interested in helping the many victims and our part is answering these calls. Remember to talk with a smile, even if the caller is frustrated, and THANK them for wanting to help others in need! Primary messages:
Small-quantity Item Donations: If it's a food item, we strongly encourage them to donate it to their local Food Bank. The Food Bank network shares food and are supporting the impacted area. For all other items: It's still early and damage assessments are underway, once that is complete, please check our website to see a posted list of items needed. Encourage callers not to collect items if they have not confirmed a need first. Local Food Bank Locator: www.secondharvest.org For those who want to give a donated item: This is for it is a large item (truckload) or any type of specialty equipment or service. We use the Florida Donations Portal powered by AidMatrix. Click here to enter an offer of donation. Enter all the required information. Home page for the Florida Donations Portal - AidMatrix
Temporary Housing: We are not accepting offers of temporary, discounted, subsidized or sale of housing. Thank the caller for their interest in providing the housing, but temporary housing is not a need that we have been asked to gather information on at this time. Donations of clothing and household items: Goodwill accepts donations of clothing, bedding, baby and adult care supplies. These types of donations are best when they come from companies that can provide new items in a quantity that meets the mass care needs of victims – for example, a national water bottler is donating a truckload of canned water for victims and response workers. Unsolicited, spontaneous donations of goods and services from individuals and community groups, although well intentioned, have hidden costs and pose a number of complications for initial relief efforts.
Medically-Health Trained Volunteers: Those interested in volunteering in this area are required to have various certifications and credentials depending on their area of expertise. Please contact: Mark Lundberg, Director It is best for volunteers to get connected to a local response group, before a disaster event so they can be better utilized for for future events.
Family Members Missing or Family Inquires: American Red Cross Safe and Well Website. If you have been affected by a disaster, this website provides a way for you to register yourself as “safe and well.” From a list of standard messages, you can select those that you want to communicate to your family members, letting them know of your well-being. This site has two Main Functions
LOCAL HOTLINE INFORMATION
STATEWIDE AND NATIONAL HOTLINE INFORMATION Florida Emergency Information Line (FEIL) 1-800-342-3557 The FEIL Call Center is co-located with the Volunteer and Donations Hotline Call Center FEMA National Tele-Registration Center 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 (tty) First step for individuals and businesses to apply for assistance.
|