Ideas and response from Serve.gov
May 28, 2010
As the government mounts a full-scale effort to respond to the oil spill in the Gulf Coast, there are ways that volunteers can help. The response to this spill will be a long-term effort, and as the situation evolves the roles for volunteers are expected to change. You can find volunteer opportunities by entering your zip code below or by coordinating with one of the organizations listed.
Please note that there is a high demand for trained volunteers with Hazmat, oil cleanup, and wildlife rehabilitation training. Because oil is a hazardous material, volunteer opportunities are limited for unaffiliated, untrained volunteers. Some activities for untrained volunteers include pre-landfall beach cleanup and monitoring the coastline and reporting contamination of wildlife or vegetation.
Get Involved Locally
The affected states have been a driving force in the response effort and are working to identify and coordinate the use and placement of volunteers. Anyone wishing to volunteer should register through one the state service commission websites listed below. Additionally, BP has set up a volunteer hotline for individuals who want to help at 1.866.448.5816.
- Louisiana: VolunteerLouisiana.gov
- Mississippi: VolunteerMississippi.org
- Florida: VolunteerFloridaDisaster.org
- Alabama: ServeAlabama.gov
Click here if you are an organization and would like to register your project on All for Good.
Additional Information
For the latest updates on the oil spill and response, please visit DeepwaterHorizonResponse.com.
The EPA is tracking the environmental impact: EPA.gov/bpspill