HANDS ON DISASTER RESPONSE ANNOUNCES IOWA FLOODING PROJECT

Organization launches volunteer deployment in response to record-breaking flooding in Midwest

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 6/16/08 – Hands On Disaster Response (HODR), a volunteer-driven 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, announces the launch of a volunteer project to assist the communities in Iowa affected by recent historic flooding. HODR’s volunteer efforts will focus on the communities of Cedar Rapids and Palo, Iowa. Just days after concluding a response to an EF4 tornado in Missouri, HODR volunteers will continue to help disaster survivors in the Midwest through Project Cedar Rapids.

In Palo, a community of 500 homes, an estimated 470 were flooded. The overflowing Cedar River inundated approximately 4,000 homes in Iowa’s second largest city Cedar Rapids. A HODR team has been assessing the flooding damage and recovery efforts in the Midwest over the past several days. The team met with other response organizations and local government officials, and assisted in sandbagging efforts as they assessed the affected areas.

“We are happy to be working in a community that has already shown such initiative in the response efforts. Our volunteers will be working alongside community members as they recover,” said Bill Driscoll, Jr., Operations Director for Project Cedar Rapids.

Project Cedar Rapids welcomes volunteers and will be coordinating work to fill unmet needs in the affected communities from June 23, to July 22, 2008. Please visit our website www.HODR.org for information on volunteering and updates on this deployment.

HODR is accepting monetary donations to offset the costs of this project. Donations can be made securely on our website www.HODR.org. All donations are tax-deductible and go directly towards these efforts. Please give generously to support HODR and the people we assist.

In exchange for volunteer time and resources, HODR provides food, shelter, and a dynamic, rewarding work experience; there is no charge to volunteers.

For additional information on HODR’s Project Cedar Rapids please visit www.HODR.org or contact Rebeca Howard at 781-570-9412 or Beca@HODR.org.
                                               

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ABOUT: Hands On Disaster Response is a US-based, volunteer-driven, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to timely disaster response and relief. HODR strives to provide hands-on relief to survivors of natural disasters with maximum speed and minimum bureaucracy. HODR projects focus on applying volunteer resources and expertise to communities affected by natural disaster. Previous projects have included USA (2008 Missouri tornadoes), USA (2008 Arkansas tornadoes), Bangladesh (2007 Cyclone Sidr), Peru (2007 Pisco Earthquake), Philippines (2006 Typhoon Reming), Indonesia (2006 Jogjakarta Earthquake), USA (2005 Hurricane Katrina), and Thailand (2004 Southeast Asian Tsunami). Donations made to HODR are tax-deductible.