Last week at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service, the largest gathering of its kind in the country, United Way Director of Crisis Preparation and Response Jay Wilkes sat on a panel focused on preparing organizations for disaster. Jay works closely with the Fritz Institute to pilot a program that helps nonprofits prepare for and respond to disasters.
United Way: How is United Way helping Bay Area nonprofits prepare for disaster?
Jay: Currently California spends $30 billion retrofitting bridges and structures in case of an earthquake, fire or other natural disaster. At United Way, we’re working with partners to do social retrofitting so that the nonprofit community not only doesn’t collapse after a disaster, but is able to thrive, and knows what resources are where and how to properly access them.
United Way: How does UWBA prepare nonprofits for a disaster?
Jay: We do this in two main ways: we support disaster service agencies that in-turn provide hands-on support and trainings for key nonprofits. We also work with nonprofits that we know will still be standing after a disaster to develop a coordinated plan for them to collaborate with other ‘surviving’ agencies to meet what will be a surge in demand following a disaster.
United Way: What does this entail:
Jay: We have every organization think through the questions: ‘How can you prepare for an influx in demand?’ and ‘What could you do with extra volunteers?’ At the same time we reach out to key organizations – nonprofit, government and foundation – to coordinate communication and services in the event of a disaster.
United Way: Can you give me an example?
Jay: For example our grantee San Francisco CARD (Community Agencies Responding to Disaster), works with St. Anthony’s, an organization that feeds thousands of people and provides shelter and clothing. In the event of a disaster, demand for St. Anthony’s services would surge, especially from people who have never used their services before. SF CARD helped St. Anthony create a post-disaster plan for their organization, while also connecting them with other organizations that could provide the additional services people will need after a disaster, but that they are unable to provide.
The main thing that United Way and SF CARD are trying to accomplish is getting nonprofits ready, through training, planning and most importantly making sure organizations are honest with what their capabilities are and what their expectations really are post-disaster, so they can continue to provide what will be much needed help for the community in the event of disaster.
United Way: How is this related to United Way’s role in the community?
Jay Wilkes: United Way’s three core pillars of Education, Income and Health are the basic building blocks that people need to have successful lives. Supporting those pillars are elements such as volunteer engagement, disaster preparedness, and 2-1-1. These are the critical support services if our community is going to recover from a natural or economic disaster.
United Way: How is the current economic crisis like a natural disaster?
Jay: Right now, the recession is very similar to what happens after a disaster. It’s like a slow-rolling economic tsunami. Lines outside food pantries and shelters are becoming longer, and there has been a significant increase in demand for other basic services, like shelter, utility assistance and clothing. People who were previously doing okay, not great, but okay, now need food and shelter, just as they would after a major natural disaster. And then you add in the rash of foreclosures and job losses…
This is putting a strain on nonprofits, because their demand is high, but their ability to meet their services is stressed. The spike in calls to 2-1-1, which helps people access to services, certainly attests to that.
This crisis has resulted positively in an increase in the number of people who are volunteering. But unless the nonprofits are prepared for the surge in people, this won’t do them much good. This is where the ‘social retrofitting’ comes in to play, as we prepare nonprofits for these kinds of disasters—whether economic or natural.
United Way: The fact that people will step up and LIVE UNITED must give you a sense of hope in the event of a disaster?
Jay: Definitely. After a disaster, what we’ve seen time and again is volunteers surging forward to help. If an earthquake or other catastrophic event were to hit the Bay Area, we know volunteers would do so again. One of things that we’re doing in our work with the Fritz Institute is helping nonprofits know how they will need volunteer help, where to access it, and how to effectively utilize spontaneous emergent volunteers so they are ready for the surge in people-power.
