Do you manage a volunteer program in one of the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina? If so, we’d like to give you a respite – it’s as simple as that.

As experienced managers of volunteers ourselves, we recognize the primary traits that make for good ones – the ability to multi-task and an unrelenting urge to just keep going like the Energizer bunny. Some of us, though most of us won’t admit it out loud, are pretty possessive about our programs and would be very reluctant to give them over to a stranger, even on a temporary basis. But, that’s what we’re encouraging you to do.

We hope that, by now, you’re aware that there are wonderful people all across this country that are looking for a tangible way to help you, your family, your friends and neighbors recover from this tragic event. Those people include experienced managers of volunteers who are willing to give you a break for a week or two – giving you the time to check on your own family and friends, recover from that summer cold, take a nap, do whatever you’ve neglected as you’ve helped our Southern neighbors begin their recovery.

The names of managers of volunteers have been collected who are willing to relieve you for a brief time. We just need nonprofit organizations or volunteer programs to tell us they would like a Respite Corps volunteer. We are ready to share names and background information.

• Your organization or program needs to complete a simple information form for us to be able to send along the list of managers of volunteers who are ready to "sub."
• Once we receive the information form from your organization or program you will receive a list of available volunteers and some suggested guidelines for making a match.
  
• All we ask in return is that, after you've screened and selected someone, you let us know so we can have accurate information on the list.
  
• We also require that you keep the list we provide very confidential as it will contain personal data.