One option to help the people hit by Katrina

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http://www.nvoad.org/

NVOAD coordinates planning efforts by many voluntary organizations responding to disaster. Member organizations provide more effective and less duplication in service by getting together before disasters strike. Once disasters occur, NVOAD or an affiliated state VOAD encourages members and other voluntary agencies to convene on site. This cooperative effort has proven to be the most effective way for a wide variety of volunteers and organizations to work together in a crisis.

A thirteen-member board of directors meets at least four times each year to provide guidance for the achievement of NVOAD goals. The board includes representatives of the membership and three representatives from state or U.S. Territory VOADs. The current members of the board include:

* President, Cheryl Tyiska of National Organization for Victim Assistance
* Vice-President, Jane Morgan of the American Red Cross
* Treasurer, Tom Smucker of Mennonite Disaster Service
* Secretary, Ande Miller of NVOAD

* Mickey Caison of the Southern Baptist Convention North American Mission Board
* Carol Clegg of the Points of Light Foundation
* David Dalberg of The Salvation Army
* Bill Feist of Minnesota VOAD
* Tom Hazelwood of the United Methodist Committee on Relief
* Chris Rebstock of America’s Second Harvest
* Linda Reed-Brown of Church World Service
* Dee Shukert of Kansas VOAD
* Mary Sutton of Louisiana VOAD

NVOAD is not itself a service delivery organization. Instead, it upholds the privilege of its members to independently provide relief and recovery services, while expecting them to do so cooperatively.

NVOAD is committed to the idea that the best time to train, prepare, and become acquainted with each other is prior to the actual disaster response.

http://www.nvoad.org/