Thousands Join Relief Effort, but More Needed

At the Volunteer Center of San Fernando Valley’s Panorama City office, volunteers are lined up at 30 telephones, matching those who need help with those willing to give it.

Since the creation of the Volunteer Reception Center phone bank a few days after the quake, the group has received about 400 requests for help and has taken calls from about 3,000 individuals or groups wanting to donate time to the relief effort.

Friday morning, 20 volunteers went to the Salvation Army Shelter at Canoga Park High School to distribute some of the 10,000 children’s sweat suits donated by Big 5 Sporting Goods.

The sporting goods company had called the Volunteer Reception Center Thursday morning asking where to take the sweat suits, said Suzanne Lewis, spokeswoman for the center. More sweat suits will be distributed at other shelters.

“We’ve had a wonderful response. People have responded with care and warmth,” said Pat Paolilli, director of the Los Angeles Volunteerism Project, a consortium of six volunteer centers that created the Reception Center. But, she added, more help is needed.

The center needs more volunteers, she said.

“We need bilingual translators in Spanish, Korean, just about any language that we have in the area.”

Volunteers are also needed to repair community-based centers heavily damaged by the quake, and to perform clerical work, which, Paolilli said, is “not always the most popular thing. But we need that.”

For instance, the city’s Building and Safety Department needs volunteers to process paperwork, to make sure damage assessment forms are accurate and are sent quickly through the process.

Santa Clarita City Hall needs bilingual volunteers, clerical and telephone helpers, and counselors to talk to victims in shelters.

PAWS, a Santa Monica pet shelter, needs volunteers to help connect lost animals with their owners or find new homes.

Councilman Richard Alarcon’s office needs 150 volunteers a day for clerical and field work in Sylmar, Sun Valley and Pacoima.

The center is also fielding calls for the United Way, Salvation Army and the American Red Cross.

The Volunteerism Project will continue to seek volunteers as more agencies realize their needs and as needs change--moving from the crisis stage to rebuilding.

“We’re all expecting this will extend over the weeks, months or years,” she said.

“To all of us lucky enough not to have our homes damaged and our lives completely disrupted, we need to keep in mind there are many more who are unfortunate and will continue to need volunteer help.”

To volunteer or to request help, call the Volunteer Reception Center at (800) 908-5170.