| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2020 |
MEDIA CONTACT Savannah Kelly savannah@volunteerflorida.org (850) 556-9799 |
“My administration is proud to make these programs available which further promote disaster response and resiliency in Florida’s communities,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “As a state, it’s important that we all do our part to prepare so that we can work together and help our neighbors in need.”
Through the CERT and Citizen Corps Program, individuals learn basic disaster skills which allow them to provide critical support to their communities during emergencies and disasters. The program also helps communities become safer, stronger and better prepared to respond to an emergency situation through education and trainings.
“As Florida’s lead agency for volunteers and donations before, during and after disasters, Volunteer Florida is proud to offer this funding which prepares citizens to take action in times of emergency,” said Volunteer Florida CEO Clay Ingram. “CERT and Citizen Corps grantees strengthen the work of emergency management officials and play a key role in response and recovery efforts.”
Volunteer Florida administers the Florida CERT and Citizen Corps Program in partnership with the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“Every year, Florida can count on a large volunteer base as a part of our hurricane response, but we know many of those volunteers are older and will not be able to support our state this year while staying protected from COVID-19, which is why this funding is so important to tap into additional resources and expand our volunteer base,” said FDEM Director Jared Moskowitz. “While this hurricane season brings many challenges, we are fully prepared to respond in collaboration with our partners at Volunteer Florida.”
To view the request for proposals and application instructions, please click here. On Thursday, July 16, Volunteer Florida will be hosting a technical assistance webinar at 2:30 pm (ET). Please click here to register.
In 1994, Volunteer Florida was established in Florida Statutes to manage national service programs, such as AmeriCorps, and advocate for volunteerism throughout the Sunshine State. Since then, Volunteer Florida has evolved to serve as the state’s lead agency for mobilizing volunteers and coordinating donations before, during and after disasters, including managing the Florida Disaster Fund. After 25 years, Volunteer Florida remains committed to promoting volunteerism in Florida, and recently launched the state’s official volunteer opportunities platform, Volunteer Connect. Through our work, Volunteer Florida delivers high-impact volunteer programs and opportunities that engage Floridians, transform communities and make the state a better place to live.