20th Annual VOAD Conference Recap via the National VOAD

What a 20^th Annual VOAD Conference!  Over 500 community leaders attended the Conference last month, representing VOAD member from across the country, as well as our partners in government emergency management and the private sector.  So much happened during that week—it is amazing how much we can accomplish in a few short days.

 

I would like to again thank the organizers of the various Workshops, Talk shops and Tracks, as well as the many expert presenters.  The VOAD community is appreciative of the sponsors who helped defray attendee costs and support us in so many other ways.

  

We hope that all who attended had an enriching experience.  Your participation helps inform our collaborative efforts to make our communities more resilient.  Likewise, the training, information sharing and relationships gained can serve to enhance our individual and collective capabilities throughout the disaster cycle.

If you attended this year’s conference, we invite you to complete the conference evaluation by clicking the link below:

http://nvoad.force.com/timbasurveys__survey?id=a0u400000076bqxAAA

For those who couldn’t attend this year, please join us for the 21^st Annual VOAD Conference to be held in Portland, Oregon, May 2013. Plans for including new and innovative programing are already in the works. 

Here are some highlights of the 2012 Conference (please be sure to share this with your staff, volunteers and/or members):

 

2012 National VOAD Awards Recipients:

FedEx Innovative Program of the Year: Colorado Donations and Volunteer Management Network Partner of the Year: Corporation for National and Community Service State VOAD of the Year: Missouri VOAD Member of the Year: Society of St. Vincent de Paul President’s Award for Volunteer Service: Steve Keim, Brethren Disaster Ministries

Membership Business Meetings:  

Prior to the Annual National VOAD Meeting on Thursday National Organization Members and State VOAD Members each met on Tuesday to address business and discuss issues:

• Introduction of New Members: Headwaters Relief Organization, HOPE AACR, ICNA Relief USA, Islamic Relief USA and Rebuilding Together
• Executive Director Daniel Stoecker reviewed operational plans and goals for the coming year: Increasing services for Members including reporting and website based tools, develop a more formalized support system for productive committee engagement, partnership development, and initiating a State VOAD Capacity Building Program.
• A review of momentum towards national Badging/Credentialing (NIMS) standards.
• Beginning a process to update Bylaws.
• Began consideration of a newly introduced ‘Affiliate’ Agreement, intended for organizations with specialized competencies and national capabilities that would benefit the National VOAD collaborative.

Election of New Board Members:

• Mike Manning, Baton Rouge Food Bank of the Louisiana VOAD (re-elected for second term)
• April Wood, the American Red Cross
• Bill Driscoll Jr., NECHAMA- Jewish Response to Disaster
•  Zach Wolgemuth, Brethren Disaster Ministries

Welcome to our New Partners!!
ToolBank USA & Facebook
Stay tuned for more info over the summer about these new partnerships.

FEMA Deputy Administrator Richard Serino spoke to a packed house Wednesday morning in what we called “ Breakfast with FEMA”.

Joe Ruiz from the UPS Foundation was the featured speaker at the Plenary Luncheon on Thursday. The great longstanding relationship between the UPS Foundation and the National VOAD collaborative includes over $1 million in support since establishing our partnership.
National Mass Care Council convened and further developed the draft for a National Mass Care Strategy and implementation plan, which will be approved and introduced in July.
Updated Committees Information can be found on the National VOAD website. 
New State VOAD Agreement -  Recommended by the State Advisory Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.

Election of 2012 National VOAD Officers by the Board of Directors:

• President: John Robinson, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance of the Presbyterian Church USA

• Vice President: Mike Manning, Baton Rouge Food Bank of the Louisiana VOAD

• Treasurer: April Wood, American Red Cross

• Secretary: Bill Driscoll Jr., NECHAMA- Jewish Response to Disaster

National VOAD would like to recognize the service of Outgoing Board Members:

• Nate Leishman, Latter-day Saint Charities
• Tom Hazelwood, United Methodist Committee on Relief
• Major Sharon Polarek, The Salvation Army

We have been fortunate to benefit from their leadership and vision over the last few years.