# AVERT Questions & Answers | Volunteering, Giving & Evidence

Canonical: https://avertusa.org/answers/
Updated: 2026-10-15

AVERT / The public record

# Questions & answers

Who we are, what the record shows, and how to help. Each answer points to its supporting sources. For immediate danger, call 911; this website is not an emergency dispatch service.

## Identity

### [What is AVERT?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#what-is-avert)

AVERT stands for the American Volunteer Emergency Response Team. It is an all volunteer disaster relief team whose published record includes delivering requested supplies and supporting relief work after hurricanes. Its charter describes a practical role: identify an unmet need, connect people and resources, help close the gap, and hand work over when a lasting response is ready. The current website is organizing a relaunch; past operations are not announcements of an active mission.

Sources: [AVERT charter and statement of purpose](https://avertusa.org/sources/#charter); [AVERT field record and original photographs](https://avertusa.org/sources/#field-record); [Current volunteer roles](https://avertusa.org/sources/#volunteer).

[Read About AVERT](https://avertusa.org/about/)

### [Which organization does this website represent?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#which-avert)

This is the website of the American Volunteer Emergency Response Team associated with organizer Michael Brewer and the AVERT team’s documented hurricane-relief work. The full name, official Facebook link and linked GoFundMe help distinguish it from other organizations and products using the word AVERT. Use avertusa.org and the links published here when checking an identity; a similar name or acronym is not evidence of a relationship.

Sources: [AVERT disaster relief — Michael Brewer](https://avertusa.org/sources/#fundraiser); [Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/sources/#contact); [Local volunteers help Canadian government locate missing man in Bahamas](https://avertusa.org/sources/#cbs12-2019).

[Read About AVERT](https://avertusa.org/about/)

### [Where is AVERT based, and where has it worked?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#where-based)

AVERT describes its home base as Arkansas. The linked GoFundMe lists organizer Michael Brewer in Fort Smith, Arkansas; that listing is not a public walk-in address or a supply drop-off location. The field record covers work in the United States and the Bahamas, including Puerto Rico after Maria and the Abaco Islands after Dorian. Historical reach does not establish current availability in any particular place. Contact the team before arranging travel, deliveries or storage.

Sources: [AVERT disaster relief — Michael Brewer](https://avertusa.org/sources/#fundraiser); [AVERT field record and original photographs](https://avertusa.org/sources/#field-record); [Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/sources/#contact).

[Read Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/contact/)

## People

### [Who organizes AVERT?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#who-organizes)

Michael Brewer is identified on this website and the linked fundraiser as AVERT’s organizer. Independent 2019 reporting names him in AVERT’s Bahamas work, including relief coordination and a search that located a missing Canadian man. The About page provides his public biography and documents his service recognition. The Contact page is the route for volunteer, giving and media inquiries; include the location, timing and purpose of your inquiry so it can be directed appropriately.

Sources: [AVERT disaster relief — Michael Brewer](https://avertusa.org/sources/#fundraiser); [Local volunteers help Canadian government locate missing man in Bahamas](https://avertusa.org/sources/#cbs12-2019); [AVERT recognition and document scans](https://avertusa.org/sources/#recognition); [Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/sources/#contact).

[Read About AVERT](https://avertusa.org/about/#michael-brewer)

### [Who are Tony Rosado and Aaron Kimball?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#other-members)

AVERT’s About page identifies Tony Rosado with the Florida Rapid Response Team and Aaron Kimball as a team member. Reporting from 2017 and 2019 describes Rosado’s hurricane-relief work; the site also publishes their 2023 volunteer-service award certificates. These records describe documented service and recognition. They do not establish anyone’s current licensing, deployment readiness or availability for an assignment today. Current responsibilities should be confirmed with AVERT.

Sources: ['Grateful for any help'](https://avertusa.org/sources/#dailycommercial-2017); [Fla. Firefighter-EMT returns from Bahamas, says it's 'like a war zone'](https://avertusa.org/sources/#firerescue1-2019); [Tony Rosado — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award](https://avertusa.org/sources/#rosado-award); [Aaron Kimball — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award](https://avertusa.org/sources/#kimball-award).

[Read About AVERT](https://avertusa.org/about/)

## Getting help

### [Can I request an emergency rescue or immediate help through this website?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#emergency-help)

No. AVERT’s website and contact forms are not an emergency dispatch service. In an immediate emergency in the United States, call 911 and follow instructions from local authorities. The contact form is for ordinary inquiries and coordination; it does not create an emergency response request or promise a response time. For current disaster assistance, use the relevant local emergency-management channels and official disaster information.

Sources: [Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/sources/#contact); [FEMA — Volunteer and Donate](https://avertusa.org/sources/#fema-donate).

[Read Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/contact/)

### [Does the website show an active deployment?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#active-mission)

The volunteer page describes a relaunch and the development of an advisory board, regional distribution capacity and a development team. In particular, its distribution-center role says that it is not for a current active mission. The photographs, news stories and timeline document earlier work. Before offering transport, traveling, or sending supplies, contact AVERT and confirm the specific request, destination, responsible coordinator and timing.

Sources: [Current volunteer roles](https://avertusa.org/sources/#volunteer); [AVERT field record and original photographs](https://avertusa.org/sources/#field-record); [Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/sources/#contact).

[Read Volunteer with AVERT](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/)

## Volunteering

### [What volunteer roles are available?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#volunteer-roles)

The published relaunch roles are advisory board members, distribution center managers and development officers, with a further option to describe another useful skill. The web-design request has already been answered. The advisory board section currently lists five seats; confirm availability with the team because recruitment changes. Read the role descriptions and use the volunteer form to explain your location, relevant experience and what you can offer. Submitting the form is an inquiry, not an appointment.

Sources: [Current volunteer roles](https://avertusa.org/sources/#volunteer).

[Read Volunteer with AVERT](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/)

### [What does offering space for a distribution center involve?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#distribution-space)

AVERT is seeking space and volunteer time near, but outside, areas exposed to hurricanes, flooding or wildfire. The purpose is to build regional logistics and donation-management capacity before it is needed. The volunteer form asks about the kind of space, approximate room and nearby hazards so the team can discuss a fit. An offer does not make a property an authorized public drop-off point. Agree on access, coordination, accepted items and timing before announcing or receiving a collection.

Sources: [Current volunteer roles](https://avertusa.org/sources/#volunteer); [AVERT charter and statement of purpose](https://avertusa.org/sources/#charter).

[Read Volunteer with AVERT](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/?role=distribution#raise-your-hand)

### [Do I need disaster-response experience to help?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#volunteer-experience)

Some AVERT roles call for experience in logistics, charitable gift programs or advisory work, while the volunteer page also invites people who are willing to learn. Describe your actual experience and availability rather than assuming that a general offer qualifies you for field or medical work. The team can discuss where your skills fit. Preparedness resources and training from established organizations can help you prepare; neither this site nor a volunteer form certifies you for a hazardous assignment.

Sources: [Current volunteer roles](https://avertusa.org/sources/#volunteer); [Ready.gov — Get Involved](https://avertusa.org/sources/#ready); [National VOAD — Volunteer](https://avertusa.org/sources/#voad-volunteer).

[Read Volunteer with AVERT](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/)

### [Should I travel to a disaster area on my own to help?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#self-deploy)

Do not treat a disaster image or an open volunteer form as an invitation to self-deploy. National VOAD advises volunteers to work through an organization, wait for an identified need and local request for help, and travel only when an assignment is arranged. Contact AVERT before making plans and follow current instructions from local authorities. A useful offer of help includes what you can do, where you are and when you are available.

Sources: [National VOAD — Volunteer](https://avertusa.org/sources/#voad-volunteer); [Current volunteer roles](https://avertusa.org/sources/#volunteer).

[Read How to Help After a Disaster](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#go-or-stay)

## Giving

### [How can I give money to AVERT?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#give-money)

The Donate page links to the AVERT disaster relief fundraiser organized by Michael Brewer on GoFundMe. Payments are handled there, not by a card form on avertusa.org. The campaign describes using funds for fuel, specifically requested supplies and support for relief work. Read the live fundraiser for current terms and totals, which can change. A pledge through AVERT’s website is a message about intended support; it does not charge a card or complete a donation.

Sources: [Current ways to give](https://avertusa.org/sources/#donate); [AVERT disaster relief — Michael Brewer](https://avertusa.org/sources/#fundraiser).

[Read Give to AVERT](https://avertusa.org/donate/)

### [What supplies should I donate, and where should I send them?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#give-supplies)

AVERT’s published examples include food, water, blankets, pet food and other essentials. Those examples are not a standing request to ship every item. Use the pledge form to describe the items, quantity, condition and current location; wait for the team to match the offer to an actual need and confirm where and when it can be received. Do not ship to the organizer’s listed city or an unconfirmed collection point. Coordination prevents unwanted goods from taking space needed for requested supplies.

Sources: [Current ways to give](https://avertusa.org/sources/#donate); [AVERT charter and statement of purpose](https://avertusa.org/sources/#charter); [National VOAD — Donate](https://avertusa.org/sources/#voad-donate).

[Read Give to AVERT](https://avertusa.org/donate/#pledge)

### [Is money or a supply donation more useful?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#money-or-goods)

Ask the responding organization what it needs before choosing. Money gives a response flexibility to purchase requested items and cover transport, while a coordinated supply donation can help when the right items, receiver and delivery arrangements are confirmed. AVERT accepts both financial support through its linked fundraiser and offers of supplies through its pledge form. The useful choice is the one that matches a real request, rather than an assumption about what people might need.

Sources: [National VOAD — Donate](https://avertusa.org/sources/#voad-donate); [Current ways to give](https://avertusa.org/sources/#donate); [AVERT charter and statement of purpose](https://avertusa.org/sources/#charter).

[Read How to Help After a Disaster](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#money-or-supplies)

### [Does AVERT offer tax-deductible donations?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#tax-status)

AVERT’s current Donate page says that gifts through the linked GoFundMe are not tax deductible. This website does not publish an IRS determination letter or an EIN and does not represent AVERT as a verified 501(c)(3) organization. If tax treatment matters to your decision, read the fundraiser’s current terms and ask the organizer for the relevant documentation before giving. Service awards and news coverage do not establish tax-exempt status.

Sources: [Current ways to give](https://avertusa.org/sources/#donate); [AVERT disaster relief — Michael Brewer](https://avertusa.org/sources/#fundraiser); [Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/sources/#contact).

[Read Give to AVERT](https://avertusa.org/donate/)

### [Does sending a pledge mean that a donation has been paid?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#donation-completion)

No. The pledge form tells AVERT what you intend to offer and provides a way for a volunteer to follow up. Money is given through the external GoFundMe checkout. Supplies require an agreed receiving arrangement. The website does not claim a payment merely because someone clicks a giving link or sends a pledge, and visitors should rely on the payment provider’s receipt for a completed transaction.

Sources: [Current ways to give](https://avertusa.org/sources/#donate).

[Read Give to AVERT](https://avertusa.org/donate/#pledge)

## Evidence

### [Where can I check AVERT’s record before volunteering or giving?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#proof-of-work)

Start with the About page’s dated field record, original field photographs and scans of recognition documents. Then open the Press page’s links to independent coverage, including CBS12, WUSA9 and reporting about Tony Rosado in the Daily Commercial and FireRescue1. The sources register explains what each item supports and its limits. Historical coverage helps document past activity; it is not a financial audit, a current deployment promise or a government endorsement of a donation.

Sources: [AVERT field record and original photographs](https://avertusa.org/sources/#field-record); [AVERT recognition and document scans](https://avertusa.org/sources/#recognition); [Local volunteers help Canadian government locate missing man in Bahamas](https://avertusa.org/sources/#cbs12-2019); [Virginia veteran works to make sure all donations reach those in need in Bahamas, unlike in Puerto Rico](https://avertusa.org/sources/#wusa9-2019); [Federal Trade Commission — Before Giving to a Charity](https://avertusa.org/sources/#ftc-giving).

[Read AVERT Sources & Accountability](https://avertusa.org/sources/)

### [What evidence documents AVERT’s work after Hurricane Maria?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#puerto-rico)

The published record includes volunteer accounts and independent reporting from Puerto Rico, together with an April 2018 letter from Senator Mark R. Warner to Michael Brewer. That letter describes a group of medical and support volunteers delivering critical aid to over 400 families after Hurricane Maria. The figure is attributed to the letter and that operation; it is not a lifetime total, an independent financial audit or a measure of current response capacity. The original scan is available to inspect.

Sources: [Letter from U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner, April 23, 2018](https://avertusa.org/sources/#warner-letter); ['Grateful for any help'](https://avertusa.org/sources/#dailycommercial-2017); [AVERT field record and original photographs](https://avertusa.org/sources/#field-record).

[Read About AVERT](https://avertusa.org/about/#field-record)

### [What evidence documents AVERT’s Bahamas work after Hurricane Dorian?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#bahamas)

CBS12’s 2019 reporting names Michael Brewer and Dr. Gwen DeLeon working with AVERT in the Bahamas, including a search that located a missing Canadian man on Treasure Cay. Other reporting describes Tony Rosado and the Florida team on Abaco. The About page groups the associated field photographs and links to reporting. These are records of 2019 operations; they should not be read as a current deployment, standing medical service or promise to conduct searches on request.

Sources: [Local volunteers help Canadian government locate missing man in Bahamas](https://avertusa.org/sources/#cbs12-2019); [Fla. Firefighter-EMT returns from Bahamas, says it's 'like a war zone'](https://avertusa.org/sources/#firerescue1-2019); [Mascotte man heads to Bahamas to aid with relief efforts](https://avertusa.org/sources/#dailycommercial-2019); [AVERT field record and original photographs](https://avertusa.org/sources/#field-record).

[Read About AVERT](https://avertusa.org/about/#field-record)

### [What do the published awards and letters establish?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#awards-meaning)

They document recognition given to the named recipients. The site publishes 2023 President’s Lifetime Achievement Award certificates for Michael Brewer, Tony Rosado and Aaron Kimball, along with other letters and commissions. The letter accompanying Brewer’s award refers to his 4,480 hours of service. Those personal hours should not be presented as an audited AVERT-wide figure. Recognition does not by itself establish a current professional license, tax status, government affiliation or endorsement of future operations.

Sources: [Michael Brewer — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award](https://avertusa.org/sources/#brewer-award); [White House volunteer-service letter to Michael Brewer](https://avertusa.org/sources/#brewer-award-letter); [Tony Rosado — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award](https://avertusa.org/sources/#rosado-award); [Aaron Kimball — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award](https://avertusa.org/sources/#kimball-award); [AVERT recognition and document scans](https://avertusa.org/sources/#recognition).

[Read About AVERT](https://avertusa.org/about/#recognition)

### [Which images are real field records and which are illustrations?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#real-images)

The About page’s field photo wall and the home page’s From the field section present supplied photographs of AVERT’s work. Recognition documents are shown as scans. The cinematic storm, loading, sunrise and handoff scenes are labeled photo or video illustrations; they are not evidence of an AVERT deployment. Keep the credit and surrounding caption with an image when interpreting or sharing it, and use the Press page for published media materials and contact information.

Sources: [AVERT field record and original photographs](https://avertusa.org/sources/#field-record); [AVERT recognition and document scans](https://avertusa.org/sources/#recognition).

[Read AVERT Press Kit](https://avertusa.org/press/)

## Operating principles

### [What does AVERT’s charter say about how it works?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#charter-principles)

The charter describes a cycle of readiness, identifying gaps, mobilizing what is needed, adapting to conditions, handing work over and learning from the response. Its principles put the mission ahead of branding and requirements ahead of acquiring resources. The practical implication for a volunteer or donor is to confirm what is needed and who will receive it before moving people or goods. The full text is published so readers can assess the organization’s stated commitments for themselves.

Sources: [AVERT charter and statement of purpose](https://avertusa.org/sources/#charter).

[Read AVERT Charter](https://avertusa.org/charter/)

### [What does AVERT mean by benevolent discord?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#benevolent-discord)

AVERT’s charter uses benevolent discord to describe the problems that can arise when spontaneous goodwill produces duplicated effort, competition, congestion and poorly matched resources after a disaster. The charter calls for reducing that confusion through coordination, information sharing and attention to unmet needs. For a donor or volunteer, that means asking what is required and agreeing on a receiving organization or assignment before acting. It is not an instruction to disrupt other responders or self-deploy.

Sources: [AVERT charter and statement of purpose](https://avertusa.org/sources/#charter); [National VOAD — Volunteer](https://avertusa.org/sources/#voad-volunteer).

[Read AVERT Charter](https://avertusa.org/charter/)

## Contact and accountability

### [How can I request a correction, ask a media question or confirm a claim?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#corrections-media)

Use the Contact page and identify the page, the statement or image you are asking about, and the supporting source if you have one. The Press page links to media materials and the same public contact. For a claim about an earlier mission, include the year and place so it can be distinguished from current plans. Avoid sending sensitive medical, financial or identity documents through a general website inquiry. A source correction can be reviewed without publicly disclosing private records.

Sources: [Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/sources/#contact); [AVERT recognition and document scans](https://avertusa.org/sources/#recognition); [AVERT charter and statement of purpose](https://avertusa.org/sources/#charter).

[Read Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/contact/?topic=media#message)

### [How should I interpret dates and changing information on this site?](https://avertusa.org/answers/#information-updates)

Dates attached to news, letters and field records identify historical evidence. Dates on an answer show when its source notes were updated, not when the underlying operation took place. Volunteer availability, fundraising totals and operating plans can change, so confirm them through the current Volunteer, Donate and Contact pages before acting. The sources register separates historical evidence from organization statements and public guidance, and does not turn an undated or disputed fact into a precise date.

Sources: [Current volunteer roles](https://avertusa.org/sources/#volunteer); [Current ways to give](https://avertusa.org/sources/#donate); [Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/sources/#contact); [AVERT field record and original photographs](https://avertusa.org/sources/#field-record).

[Read AVERT Sources & Accountability](https://avertusa.org/sources/)