Volunteer to Work

 STORMS 2008 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Here are some of the ways you can help with Iowa recovery efforts:

• Call 1.877.393.1607 to schedule a work team or to learn more about how you can help.
• Register your work team online: REGISTER YOUR TEAM.
• Register as an individual or a couple on line: INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION.
• Learn what is involved in the process of Rebuilding a Flooded Home.
• Contact the Iowa Conference Volunteer Coordination Office: Carma @ floodumc@yahoo.com 
  
   

The Need
Record flooding, with rivers cresting far higher than previous records, was experienced in a number of cities and rural areas in eastern Iowa in June of 2008. In Cedar Rapids alone, 25,000 residents were evacuated from their homes and 5,500 homes were left uninhabitable. The area in which Volunteers in Mission teams are working extends about 150 miles, primarily along the Iowa and Cedar Rivers and their tributaries.  

The Work
The rebuilding continues in 2009. The work involves siding, flooring, electrical, plumbing, heating, dry wall, door and window replacement, finish carpentry, etc. It is very helpful to have some skilled volunteers on each team that can oversee the work of the less skilled but willing and enthusiastic volunteers. A ratio of at least one skilled worker to four unskilled workers is suggested.  

Housing
Housing is in churches and accommodations vary depending on what is available in each church. Team leaders will be informed of the availability of cots or beds and volunteers will need to provide their own bed linens. In some cases you may have to travel a short distance to another facility to take a shower. Every effort is made to accommodate all team members in one church but large teams may need to sleep in separate nearby churches.  

Meals
The team is normally responsible for their own grocery shopping and food preparation in the church but there may be some meals provided by the host church. You can count on great hospitality regardless of the accommodations!  

Costs
A donation of $10 per team member per day is requested to help the host church with their additional costs and for miscellaneous project costs. Some churches can provide meals for an additional $10 per team member per day.  

Donations
Donations for building materials are not required but are thankfully accepted. Checks should be made payable to the Iowa Annual Conference and noted for Advance Special #223. The host church or volunteer coordination office can accept the donations.  

Youth
Youthful volunteers are welcome provided they are at least fourteen years of age. There must be at least one adult for every five youth with the adults being at least eighteen years of age and five years older than the youth. Please note the Parental Consent  form that must be executed by parents that do not accompany their youth.  

Tools
Some tools may be available on-site but each team leader needs to verify availability with the volunteer coordination office, especially for electric, plumbing and heating work.  

Forms
The Team Application form or the on-line registration form must be received at least one month prior to the dates of the mission. The Medical and Liability Release  formsmust be executed by all adult team members. The Parental Consent forms must be executed by parents that do not accompany their youth. 

Insurance
Insurance coverage is important and required of all volunteers. Team members should check their own health and accident policies to verify that they will be covered on the trip. Reasonably priced accident insurance may be obtained through the Mission Volunteers Office of the General Board of Global Ministries or through your Jurisdiction UMVIM office.  

Travel
Arrival and departure dates must be verified by the volunteer coordination office and may vary with the host site. Each team must provide their own transportation to and from job sites, very likely in groups as small as five, depending on the available work in the homes. Commercial air service is available through Waterloo and Cedar Rapids as well as the Quad Cities Airport in Moline, IL.