Warehouse assists tornado victims of Central Florida
02-02-2007
Virtual warehouse becomes collection point for donated items, services
A virtual warehouse system in Florida has become a key component of recovery efforts now under way to assist the victims of the Feb. 2 tornadoes in Central Florida.
Volunteer Florida Foundation has launched a series of virtual warehouses in communities across Florida. The Jacksonville warehouse, managed by Volunteer Jacksonville, was closest to the disaster scene, and was remodeled immediately after the tornadoes to become a collection point for those who have items or services to donate.
The warehouse system can be found at Florida Hurricane Relief Fund; click on "To Donate Goods and Services" and follow the link to the Jacksonville virtual warehouse.
Volunteers in the impacted counties will be monitoring the donations to look for items to help the families in need.
"For people who have lost everything, they are building their lives from the ground up, and they need a lot of items to restore a semblance of normality," said Suzanne Yack, head of the Neighbors to the Rescue initiative. "The Neighbors to the Rescue virtual warehouse helps volunteers and donors match donations with the people who need these items."
Also at the site, those who have trucking capability are encouraged to register their availability to move things around the region. A special button for truck drivers has been installed, and can be reached by direct link at Truckers Click Here".
Volunteer Florida Foundation, manager of the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund, also announced the Fund will assist survivors of the tornadoes. Donors can make monetary donations toward long-term recovery, or find a volunteer organization to assist in the coming weeks.
The Florida Hurricane Relief Fund was founded at the beginning of the 2004 hurricane season to help Floridians recover from natural disasters. Since that time, the Fund has become a preeminent provider of long-term recovery services across Florida, working in concert with nonprofits in affected communities to keep donations exactly where they are needed. The Fund is managed by nonprofit Volunteer Florida Foundation and all donations to the Fund are tax-deductible.