The Red Cross says the best way to help right now is to donate money.
Money will buy food and blankets that can be sent to these emergency shelters immediately.
But for people looking for a more hands on experience, the Red Cross says slow down.
It doesn't want untrained people out in the field because people who aren't sure what they're doing slow the relief process down.
"I wanted to help people in a direct way that went beyond donations," says Davenport Red Cross Volunteer Jean Jacobs. Her first national disaster assignment was the Alabama tornado relief effort last year. She says disasters leave people stunned.
"Most of them are just so lost, and the worst event of their lives has just happened to them and here comes people to help them through the first few days."
Jacobs' says getting that response right during the first days is crucial. She's spent her time in Maryland with the current relief effort delivering supplies to emergency shelters. She says volunteers without training, just don't know how to help.
"They wouldn't know what to do, and we all know that people want to volunteer, but they don't know what certain terms are, or how we go about doing things," says Jacobs.
Quad Cities Red Cross executive Betsy Pratt says it's too late for people to volunteer for Hurricane Sandy. But she says volunteers are always needed.
"We need to be prepared for the next disaster, and so someone that isn't trained at this point, but is interested in getting trained at this point, we would encourage them to call their local chapter," says Pratt.
The Red Cross will train their volunteers to handle food handling, disaster assessments, and first aid. 16 hours of training to prevent delays when relief is needed.
"It can cause a bottleneck on the relief efforts if individuals or groups, decide to have a let's fill the truck, and take items out there," says Pratt.
Jacobs' says she's not sure what her next task on the East Coast will be. But she knows it will be to help people move on.
"A plan to start back on their recovery and remind them that they're going to get a normal life back," says Jacobs.
There are a number of groups that need volunteers for long term relief efforts.
But they go in after the initial disaster response is finished.
And the groups vary from region to region.
So if you want to volunteer, call a city, or even a county emergency management agency.
And ask if they need your help.
