Helpful Links

American Red Cross

http://www.redcross.org

The Red Cross gives health and safety training to the public and provides emergency social services to U.S. military members and their families. In the wake of an earthquake, tornado, flood, fire, hurricane or other disaster, it provides relief services to communities across the country. The Red Cross is America's most trusted charity, and it needs the support of compassionate Americans to succeed.

Delta Society

www.deltasociety.org

Delta Society is the leading international resource for the human-animal bond. Delta Society has been the force to validate the important role of animals for people's health and well-being by promoting the results of research to the media and health and human services organizations. Delta Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

National Voluntary Organizations Active In Disaster (NVOAD)

www.nvoad.org/

NVOAD is an association that seeks to promote communication, cooperation, coordination, and collaboration among all voluntary agencies which participate in disaster response nationally. Our effectiveness is enhanced to the extent that we are able to attract into membership all national groups that have programs of disaster response. The more of us who sit around the same table, the better our ability to understand each other's roles and concerns. And, of course, during a disaster response is NOT the time to try to build relationships!

Federal Emergency Management Agency

http://www.fema.gov

FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security's Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. FEMA has more than 2,600 full time employees. They work at FEMA headquarters in Washington D.C., at regional and area offices across the country, the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center, and the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. FEMA also has nearly 4,000 standby disaster assistance employees who are available for deployment after disasters. Often FEMA works in partnership with other organizations that are part of the nation's emergency management system. These partners include state and local emergency management agencies, 27 federal agencies and American Red Cross.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA)

http://www.trynova.org/

The National Organization for Victim Assistance is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization of victim and witness assistance programs and practitioners, criminal justice agencies and professionals, mental health professionals, researchers, former victims and survivors, and others committed to the recognition and implementation of victim rights and services.

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)

http://www.taps.org/

Each year, hundreds of American families face the tragedy of the death of a loved one serving in the Armed Forces. The families left behind include loving parents, siblings and young spouses and school age children. In many cases, these families must move immediately away from their friends and support systems and rebuild a life that was once devoted to military service but is now focused on just surviving their traumatic loss.

Where can these young American families turn for the support system that they deserve when they have, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “laid so costly a sacrifice on the altar of freedom”? They can, and most often do, turn to TAPS.

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Inc., is a one of a kind non-profit Veteran Service Organization offering hope, healing, comfort and care to thousands of American armed forces families facing the death of a loved one each year. TAPS receives absolutely no government funding, but through the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, all families faced with a death of one serving in the Armed Forces receive information about TAPS and our military survivor programs.

Trauma Intervention Programs, Inc. (TIP Inc.)

http://www.tipnational.org/

Trauma Intervention Programs, Inc. (TIP Inc.) is a national non-profit organization founded in 1985. TIP Inc. establishes and operates TIP Chapters across the nation. In each Chapter, citizen volunteers provide support to emotionally traumatized citizens immediately after tragedy strikes. Hospital personnel, police officers, firefighters, and paramedics call for TIP volunteer assistance on a 24-hour, 365-day a year basis. Volunteers assist family members following natural or unexpected deaths; victims of crime; disoriented or lonely older persons; victims of vehicle accidents; family members after a suicide; and anyone emotionally traumatized by a crisis event.