How to volunteer for tsunami disaster relief?

[dcdomain]

I know at this point, donations are being asked for and are more useful than volunteering in person. I was wondering if anyone from AT has considered flying over there to volunteer your time and energy. I tried searching through Google and it doesn't seem like anything has been set up by the various organizations to coordinate volunteers from America. I read about Australia's response, but nothing from America yet. I've also read of organizations sending in experienced teams already, but I think in the future there will be a need for able bodied people to help our fellow men and women get up and running again... has anyone been able to find any information on how we can sign up to volunteer? I'd be pretty much in the dark if I just hopped a plane and flew on over. Thanks...

 

[RossMAN]

Seriously if I had the resources ($$$ - and time off from work) I'd love to go over there and help.

Unloading a plane, whatever it takes.

 

[Goosemaster]

Honestly, and I mean this in as politely as I can, you'd be more trouble than help and would amount to being jsut another mouth to feed.

Let the military and the aid workers do it unless you have training.

 

[DrPizza]

Not to rain on your parade... but the population of India alone is somewhere around 1 BILLION people... despite the tsunami, they have plenty of able bodied people. From the sources I've been reading, overall, it's not as bad as the media makes it sound - like total devastation everywhere.... (that sounds wrong)... the damage is limited to the coast, and within a mile of the coast (usually far less) There is plenty of help nearby...

They are lacking basic supplies, etc. The people there are dirt poor... The vast majority don't have anything like insurance to cover their losses... they literally lost everything they own. They need food, water, and shelter. The last thing they need is someone who doesn't speak their language who they also have to feed and provide shelter for.


edit: I don't mean this in a mean-spirited way.... but they already have plenty of help available.... they lack the supplies, and the people who lost everything lack any ability to purchase goods.

What makes the entire disaster so severe is the total length of the area affected by the Tsunamis... It's not like 120,000 killed on Long Island...
It's more like 120,000 killed along the eastern seaboard of the U.S. A lot of damage, but really really spread out over a long area.