Volunteer Opportunities
Come make a difference in your community!
Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks, in partnership with the Howard County Office of Emergency Management, has developed a team of professionals to provide coordination and centralized support for volunteers and volunteer groups during a disaster and/or crisis situation resulting from manmade causes or natural disasters. This level of support is provided through the Emergency Volunteer Management Team.
During the Ellicott City flood of 2018, the EVM Team implemented its Virtual Volunteer Management Plan. The Virtual Volunteer Management Plan is designed to simplify the process of recruiting, organizing, scheduling, and connecting volunteers. The virtual plan allowed EVM team members to organize large numbers of interested volunteers more efficiently by eliminating the need for time-consuming traditional volunteer management methods and paper signups. By using online database systems, the EVM team was able to manage over approximately 12,000 volunteer offers of assistance in response to the Ellicott City floods. Additionally, local businesses and resident owners were able to receive volunteer support and coordination more efficiently.
Register to be a disaster relief volunteer
2018 Flood Recovery Volunteers
1,564 volunteers recruited; 144 called to serve; resulting in 846 service hours confirmed.
2016 Flood Recovery Volunteers
556 volunteers recruited; 283 called to serve; resulting in 566 service hours confirmed.
Share your Story
We want to hear how volunteering has impacted you! Please consider sharing your story so others may be inspired. We thank you for your service.
In consideration of my (and/or my child’s) service in a volunteer capacity, I do hereby grant and give to Howard County Recreation & Parks permission to use this testimonial/photograph or image in any advertising, promotion or other related action by the County relating to my/my child’s volunteer activities.
