As the State of Texas continues to engage in cleanup and recovery activities from prior events, the volunteer interest and support from our fellow Texans and other generous individuals from around the United States continues to be a valuable resource, and will be needed for the weeks and months ahead.
Seeing images of disaster may compel you to head to the impacted area. Don’t underestimate the complexity of volunteering to support a disaster impacted community, as self-deploying (just showing-up) may create an additional burden on impacted communities where resources for food and shelter are scarce.
The most effective way to help those impacted by this event is to register with a voluntary or charitable organization of your choice, many of which are already in Texas supporting survivors on the ground.
Did you know that your contribution of time, talent, and effort in Texas communities impacted by disaster may also have financial value? In 2019, Independent Sector estimated the value of your time volunteering in Texas at $25.47 per hour!
In all Federally declared disasters, FEMA can reimburse local & state governments for the cost of disaster recovery through a cost-share agreement, and volunteer hours that are documented in an auditable way can count toward this cost-share.
To help Texas communities recover the cost of relief efforts, please visit Texas Division of Emergency Management to report your volunteer hours!
Please find a full list of Texas VOAD members accepting volunteers below
Licensed Healthcare Professionals
The Texas Disaster Volunteer Registry is maintained by the Department of State Health Services. This registry is a secure database with readily available, verifiable information about each volunteer’s identity, qualifications, training, and experience which can be matched to locally organized volunteer needs. Licensed healthcare professionals and lay persons can register as COVID-19 volunteers to support the state’s public health and medical preparedness response.
When contacted about a volunteer activation, you have the option to accept or decline the assignment, determine how far you will travel, and how long you will serve on the assignment. The call to serve can come at any time in this rapidly evolving situation, so be ready. Thank you for stepping up in support of the state of Texas!
- Visit the Texas Disaster Volunteer Registry
- Click the “Register Now” button on the right side of the page to begin the process. This will take you to a new page.
- Click “add organization†on the left side of the page and select the organization from your county.
- Continue through the required data fields.
- If you need assistance, click the “Contact Us†tab at the top of the page.