To help survivors of recent disasters donate to the Governor's Emergency Relief Fund
Alabama Governor's Office of Volunteer Services
INCREASING THE ETHIC OF SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM ACROSS ALABAMA

March 15-16, 2025
Severe Storms and Tornadoes
Disaster Assistance:
Find Help Near You. Need help before, during or after a disaster? 2-1-1 is a free, easy to remember number to dial for information about health and human service organizations in your community. 2-1-1 provides individuals with the latest information and essential community services. Text TXT211 (898211), Dial 2-1-1 or text or call 1-888-421-1266 from anywhere in Alabama, or visit http://www.211connectsalabama.org/. Call 7-1-1 if you are hearing-impaired and ask to be connected to 2-1-1 Connects Alabama.
If you are an organization providing resources, please call 2-1-1 or call 1-888-421-1266.
Donate
The Alabama Governor's Emergency Relief Fund (GERF)
This fund was created after Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina and continues today to support unmet needs for individuals and families recovering from severe weather in Alabama.
Volunteer
Below is a listing of current volunteer needs. Please contact the organizations directly if you are interested in volunteering. Also note that recovery from a disaster often takes a very long time and volunteers will be needed in the weeks, months, and even years ahead.
Volunteer Survey: Individuals wishing to volunteer in recovery efforts visit: https://forms.office.com/g/HdqCrAPwvF
Disaster Responding Groups – Volunteers and Donations Survey: For organizations and agencies that are interested in providing in-kind donations and disaster responding organizations seeking volunteers: https://forms.office.com/g/6ENUVTVvcd
Alabama Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (ALVOAD)
Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) is a coalition of non-profit and faith-based, public and private organizations and agencies that respond to disasters by bringing all available resources together to assist those impacted by disasters. VOADs provide a forum promoting cooperation, communication, coordination and collaboration that fosters a more effective delivery of services to disaster affected communities.
Members and partners are serving communities hit by disasters as long as necessary. For a list of organizations involved in disaster response in affected areas, visit their websites and social media sites for more information. To support those who respond to disasters consider one of the following Alabama Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (ALVOAD) member agencies:
Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief
Baldwin County VOAD
Calhoun-Cleburne County VOAD
Civil Air Patrol Alabama Wing
Coffee County ROCC/VOAD
Compassion Coalition of Tuscaloosa County
Covington County VOAD
Cullman County VOAD
Elmore County VOAD
Etowah County VOAD
Family Guidance Center of Alabama
Good Shepherd UMC
Hope Animal Assisted Crisis Response
Jefferson/Shelby County VOAD
Legal Services of Alabama
Madison County VOAD
Marshall County Commission
Mobile County VOAD
Morgan County VOAD
North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church
Operation Blessing International
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
Tuscaloosa VOAD
United Way of East Central Alabama/1st Call for Help
United Way of Northwest Alabama
United Way of Selma & Dallas County
United Way of Southwest Alabama
Walker County VOAD
Helpful tips for Donating:
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Cash is best! –This allows relief organizations to purchase exactly what items are needed to assist in the response and recovery efforts. Funds will also provide direct victim assistance.
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Confirm the Need Before Collecting – Donors should be wary of anyone who claims that “everything is needed.” Many groups have been disappointed that their efforts and the goods they collected were not appreciated. A community hit by disaster, however, does not have the time, manpower or money to sort and dispose of unneeded donations. Get precise information and confirm the need before collecting any donated goods.
Helpful tips for Volunteering:
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Affiliate with existing non-profit organizations before coming to the disaster area. Immediately following a disaster, a community can become easily overwhelmed by the amount of generous people who want to help. Contacting and affiliating with an established organization will help to ensure that you are appropriately trained to respond in the most effective way.
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Be safe: Do not self-deploy until a need has been identified and the local community impacted has requested support. Wait until it is safe to travel to volunteer sites and opportunities have been identified. Once assigned a position, make sure you have been given an assignment and are wearing proper safety gear for the task.
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Be patient: Recovery lasts a lot longer than the media attention. There will be volunteer needs for many months, often years, after the disaster - especially when the community enters the long-term recovery period.