As we enter the time of year that often brings severe weather, Convoy of Hope has dedicated two days this week to train volunteers across the U.S. to join our Disaster Services team. This team is consistently among the first to respond to disasters at home and around the world.
“National Volunteers are an important part of our Disaster Services program,” said Stacy Lamb, Convoy of Hope’s Senior Director of Disaster Services. “Having pre-trained volunteers across the country will allow us to mobilize faster and have personnel in the right areas when needed.”
Due to continued COVID-19 pandemic precautions, the training was nearly all virtual. Trainees joined from 14 different states, spanning from California to the Carolinas. Hosting this training in a virtual environment kept participants safe and increased the number of people in attendance by close to one third.
The training included an overview of how Convoy of Hope responds to disasters, what happens in the field, and what to expect when deploying with us. Since most in-person training includes First Aid and CPR instruction, attendees were encouraged to participate in these trainings within their own community.
After this week, National Volunteers can expect to deploy with Convoy of Hope once or twice a year in response to any number of disasters. These people will help teams manage the day-to-day response work of local volunteers, the bagging and distribution of supplies, and both inbound and outbound product deliveries.
Since this position requires flexibility to deploy on very short notice, trainees endured a thorough screening process to ensure that they agreed to the demands of being a National Volunteer.Convoy of Hope is always in need of more volunteers! If you’re interested in participating in one of these trainings and becoming a Convoy of Hope National Volunteer, please email [email protected].
