As many others have said, Cleolinda is the route to go to let people know, so here's my contribution:
Anyone living near the affected area (I'm from Baton Rouge) who wants to volunteer should NOT call the 211 Volunteer Line like all the tv/radio stations are saying. Unless you have a medical skill set, they will take your name and number and tell you they will call back once the "search and rescue" phase is over. Maybe the United Way, Red Cross, and other big agencies don't need your help, but there are thousands of smaller groups that do. Check out the lists provided by local news media to see who else is acting as a shelter, or where other relief efforts are located and give them a call or drop by.
Myself and a couple of friends went to drop off donations to a local women's center that is being used to collect items for babies and mothers and the lady there, who was looking pretty desperate, asked us if we knew anyone who wanted to volunteer. We all said we had been looking but had been turned away. She wanted to the number and the name of the person who had done so, because she said they desperately needed help with sorting and anything anyone could do that was clerical in nature. They're being inundatated with supplies and requests (which is GREAT) but don't have the staff to keep up. I'm sure this is a problem for many of the smaller groups trying to help.
Volunteering
Anyone living near the affected area (I'm from Baton Rouge) who wants to volunteer should NOT call the 211 Volunteer Line like all the tv/radio stations are saying. Unless you have a medical skill set, they will take your name and number and tell you they will call back once the "search and rescue" phase is over. Maybe the United Way, Red Cross, and other big agencies don't need your help, but there are thousands of smaller groups that do. Check out the lists provided by local news media to see who else is acting as a shelter, or where other relief efforts are located and give them a call or drop by.
Myself and a couple of friends went to drop off donations to a local women's center that is being used to collect items for babies and mothers and the lady there, who was looking pretty desperate, asked us if we knew anyone who wanted to volunteer. We all said we had been looking but had been turned away. She wanted to the number and the name of the person who had done so, because she said they desperately needed help with sorting and anything anyone could do that was clerical in nature. They're being inundatated with supplies and requests (which is GREAT) but don't have the staff to keep up. I'm sure this is a problem for many of the smaller groups trying to help.