# AVERT — American Volunteer Emergency Response Team > AVERT, the American Volunteer Emergency Response Team, is an all volunteer disaster relief team organized by Michael Brewer. Its documented work includes delivering supplies after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017 and Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas in 2019. Updated 2026-10-15. The documented operations are historical; confirm current needs directly with the organizer. AVERT is not an emergency dispatch service. ## Identity and limits - Not an emergency dispatch service. - The documented field record starts in 2017; a precise founding date is not asserted. - Historical operations do not establish current deployment availability. - No IRS determination, EIN, public street address, telephone or 24-hour availability is asserted. - Recognition is not a government endorsement or current professional credential. ## Full canonical page content Canonical: https://avertusa.org/ Updated: 2026-10-15 American Volunteer Emergency Response Team # Hold on. We're on our way. When a hurricane, flood or wildfire tears through a town, AVERT volunteers load up donated food, water and supplies and drive toward the damage. Then we put it in the hands of the people who need it. [Answer the call](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) [Send help](https://avertusa.org/donate/) [Watch the road](https://avertusa.org/#how-help-gets-there) Bulletin Oct 2026 ## AVERT field advisory American Volunteer Emergency Response Team ...Relaunch underway... ...Volunteer roles open now... A call for volunteers is in effect for... - Advisory board members - Distribution center managers - Development officers [Read the roles](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) Photo illustration Citizen soldiers, no uniform required Most days we are your neighbors, with day jobs and families of our own. On the worst day, we are the headlights coming down your road. Field bulletin - Relaunch underway - Volunteer roles open now - Advisory board: five seats - Distribution center managers wanted near hurricane, wildfire and flood country - Development officers wanted - In danger right now? Call 911 Who we are ## Neighbors first. Responders when it counts. AVERT, the American Volunteer Emergency Response Team, is an all volunteer disaster relief team based in Arkansas. We carry donated supplies into disaster areas in person and hand them to the people who need them, along with the first responders and charities already working there. We took to the road in the 2017 hurricane season with a simple idea. Not everyone can pack up and go when disaster strikes, so the people who can go should carry everyone else's generosity with them. We call it being the deliverers and stewards of your donations. Standing ordersAVERT field manual, page one - ### Everyone is a volunteer. AVERT runs on a 100 percent volunteer basis. Nobody draws a paycheck from your gift. - ### Your gift rides with us. We carry your donations ourselves, from the moment they arrive to the hands that need them. - ### We show you the work. We post from the field so you can watch your support arrive where it was needed. - ### We back everyone on the ground. We support first responders and every charity already working the disaster. Relief is not a competition. How help gets there ## From the first call to your street. Every deployment follows the same road, from the moment disaster strikes to the moment supplies reach the people who need them. - Photo illustration 1The call ### The storm hits. A hurricane makes landfall, a river crests, a fire jumps the ridge. We track the damage and ask the people on the ground what they need most. - Photo illustration 2The load ### Gifts become cargo. Your donations turn into fuel for the trip and the specific supplies people asked for. Volunteers cover their own training and gear so your gift goes further. - Photo illustration 3The road ### We drive toward the damage. Teams head in with food, water, blankets, pet food and the essentials that run out first. - Photo illustration 4Hand to hand ### Help reaches people. Supplies go straight to families, first responders and the charities serving them. We post from the field so you can see your gift arrive. - 5Destination ### Your town. Wherever the water rose or the fire burned, that is where we are headed. You are not facing it alone. What we carry ## A short manifest, on purpose. When the power is out and the stores are closed, people need the basics first. That is what we load. - Lot 01Water - Lot 02Food - Lot 03Blankets - Lot 04Pet food - Lot 05Essentials Pets are family too, so they get a lot of their own. And when someone on the ground asks for something specific, it goes on the load as well. [Why we ask before anything ships](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/). [Pledge supplies](https://avertusa.org/donate/?give=supplies#pledge) From the field ## Real photos. Real deployments. Taken by AVERT volunteers on the job, from the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian to the parking lots where the loads come together. - Taking stock of what Hurricane Dorian left behind. - Water and food handed out from the back of a pickup. - The crew in front of the supply trailer. - A search and rescue team and its dogs between missions. - Water on the dock beside a Defence Force ship. - A relief flight with every seat taken by supplies. - Generators, propane and water ready to go out. - Sorting donations before they go on the trailer. ### Recognized for service - President’s Lifetime Achievement AwardMichael Brewer, 2023 - Letter of appreciationU.S. Senator Mark R. Warner, 2018 - Letter of support to FEMAU.S. Representative Darren Soto, 2018 - Kentucky ColonelGovernor Andy Beshear, 2022 - Arkansas TravelerGovernor Asa Hutchinson, 2022 [Read the letters](https://avertusa.org/about/#recognition) [See every photo](https://avertusa.org/about/#field-photos) Field record ## Where we have been. Where help stages next. - 2017 ### Harvey, Irma and Maria The documented 2017 hurricane season. Volunteers worked recovery in Texas after Hurricane Harvey and in Florida after Hurricane Irma, then coordinated medical and support volunteers who delivered aid to over 400 families in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, including five weeks in the mountain town of Jayuya. - 2018 ### Florence in the Carolinas Back on the road after Hurricane Florence in North and South Carolina, carried by hundreds of individual donors across 2017 and 2018. - 2019 ### Dorian in the Bahamas After Hurricane Dorian, AVERT's Florida team went to the Abaco Islands with Florida Search and Rescue to run triage and medical aid and help airlift patients to Nassau. Volunteers handed out water, food and generators and joined search and rescue missions, including one that found a missing Canadian man on Treasure Cay. - 2026 ### The relaunch AVERT is rebuilding for the long haul with an advisory board, regional distribution centers and a development team, so the next response moves faster. Along the way AVERT was commended by communities we served, by organizations we supported and by members of the United States House and Senate. [Read the letters](https://avertusa.org/about/#recognition). Disaster countryGeneralized by state. Not a forecast. Show where these disasters most often hit Hurricanes Wildfires Floods Regions are generalized by state for illustration only. They are not a forecast. ### Live near the edge of disaster country? AVERT is building regional distribution centers before the next disaster, not during it. If you live near, but not inside, a hurricane, wildfire or flood zone and can lend some space and time, raise your hand. [Offer space](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/?role=distribution#raise-your-hand) The relaunch ## Four ways to answer the call. AVERT is relaunching, and we need skilled volunteers to get it off the ground. Here is what is on the board right now. AVERT duty boardRelaunch October 2026 - [Advisory board membersFive seats. Help steer relief work and major gift campaigns.Open, 5 seats](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/#advisory-board) - [Web designersAnswered by THATDEVELOPERGUY. You are looking at the result.Answered](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/#web-designers) - [Distribution center managersLend space and time near, but not inside, a disaster zone.Open](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/#distribution-centers) - [Development officersHelp run gift and donation programs. Experience helps. We will teach the rest.Open](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/#development-officers) Not sure where you fit? Tell us what you bring and we will help you find the right seat. [Raise your hand](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/#raise-your-hand) Photo illustration Give ## Not everyone can pack up and go. Your gift can. AVERT runs entirely on donations. Every gift becomes fuel, food, water and supplies carried by volunteers straight into disaster country, and we post from the field so you can watch it arrive. [Give on GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/avert-disaster-relief) [Pledge supplies](https://avertusa.org/donate/?give=supplies#pledge) Canonical: https://avertusa.org/about/ Updated: 2026-10-15 About AVERT # The team that drives toward the storm. AVERT, the American Volunteer Emergency Response Team, is an all volunteer disaster relief team based in Arkansas. We carry donated supplies into disaster areas and put them in the hands of the people who need them. Photo illustration Our story ## The record begins with a hurricane season. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey flooded Texas and Hurricane Irma tore across Florida. AVERT's volunteers loaded up and went, working recovery in both states, then coordinating medical and support volunteers who delivered aid to over 400 families in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. From the start, the idea was simple. Plenty of good people want to help when disaster strikes, but not everyone can pack up and go. So the people who can go carry everyone else's generosity with them. That philosophy has a name around here: we are the deliverers and stewards of your donations. We support all charities and first responders, because relief works best when everyone on the ground pulls in the same direction. And we post from the field, so the people who made the trip possible can see what their support did. “Our organization learned a very hard lesson in Puerto Rico. We saw a lot of supplies sitting at the airport that didn’t go anywhere.” Michael Brewer to [WUSA9](https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/va-veteran-working-make-sure-all-donations-reach-people-need-bahamas-unlike-puerto-rico/65-04afa063-181e-4b27-bc5c-3bf0ca7955b5), October 2019 So in the Bahamas two years later, the team ran it differently. Every day ended with the same questions, in Michael’s words: “What are you short? What do you need?” Then volunteers went to every supply location, found who had what, loaded the truck and drove it to the people who needed it. That habit of asking first is now written into [our charter](https://avertusa.org/charter/). Field record ## Miles behind us. More ahead. Every season on the road has been carried by people who could not make the trip themselves. - 2017 ### Harvey, Irma and Maria The documented 2017 hurricane season. Volunteers worked recovery in Texas after Hurricane Harvey and in Florida after Hurricane Irma, then coordinated medical and support volunteers who delivered aid to over 400 families in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, including five weeks in the mountain town of Jayuya. - 2018 ### Florence in the Carolinas Back on the road after Hurricane Florence in North and South Carolina, carried by hundreds of individual donors across 2017 and 2018. - 2019 ### Dorian in the Bahamas After Hurricane Dorian, AVERT's Florida team went to the Abaco Islands with Florida Search and Rescue to run triage and medical aid and help airlift patients to Nassau. Volunteers handed out water, food and generators and joined search and rescue missions, including one that found a missing Canadian man on Treasure Cay. - 2026 ### The relaunch AVERT is rebuilding for the long haul with an advisory board, regional distribution centers and a development team, so the next response is ready before the next disaster. Along the way AVERT was commended by communities we served, by organizations we supported and by members of the United States House and Senate. [Read the letters](https://avertusa.org/about/#recognition). From the field ## Real photos. Real deployments. Every picture in this section was taken by AVERT volunteers on the job. Select one to see it full size. ### The Bahamas, 2019 After Hurricane Dorian - Taking stock of what Hurricane Dorian left behind. - A search and rescue team and its dogs between missions. - Water on the dock beside a Defence Force ship. - Alongside the Defence Force patrol ship Rolly Gray. - Water and food handed out from the back of a pickup. - Generators, propane and water ready to go out. - A child’s tricycle where a neighborhood stood. ### On the road Staging, loading and delivering - The crew in front of the supply trailer. - Sorting donations before they go on the trailer. - A relief flight with every seat taken by supplies. - Loaded, hitched and headed out after the storm. - Unloading water and supplies at a distribution point. - First aid and clean water at a neighborhood stop. ## Why we do it Long before there were emergency agencies, there were neighbors who set down their work and came running when trouble hit the next town over. Citizens first, ready when called. AVERT carries that tradition into disaster country, no uniform required. Recognition ## Recognized for service. Letters, commissions and honors that AVERT and its volunteers have received along the way. Select any document to read it full size. AmeriCorps and the Office of the President, 2023 ### The President’s Lifetime Achievement Award Awarded to Michael Brewer for a lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service. The White House letter that came with it recognizes his 4,480 hours of service. “By sharing your time and passion, you are helping discover and deliver solutions to the challenges we face.” Read the letter The American story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us. I congratulate you on taking it upon yourself to contribute to the public good, and I’m proud to present you with the President’s Lifetime Achievement award in recognition of your 4,480 hours of service to this great Nation. Throughout our country’s history, the American story has been strengthened by those who combine an optimism about what can be with the resilience to turn that vision into reality. I know I’m not alone in recognizing that those who are willing to step up and volunteer in service of community and country are essential to the ongoing work of forming our more perfect union. By sharing your time and passion, you are helping discover and deliver solutions to the challenges we face, solutions that we need now more than ever. We are living in a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for our futures, light to see our way forward, and love for one another. Through your service, you are providing all three. On behalf of the American people, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to you for your volunteer leadership, and I encourage you to continue to answer the call to serve. The country is counting on you. Teammates Tony Rosado and Aaron Kimball received the same award in 2023. - United States Senate, April 23, 2018 ### A letter of appreciation from Senator Mark R. Warner For AVERT’s work in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. “I understand that you coordinated a group of medical and support volunteers to deliver critical aid to over 400 families on the island.” Read the letter Dear Mr. Brewer, I am pleased to extend my appreciation for your work in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. Our Nation relies on citizens like you who are committed to helping their fellow Americans in emergency situations. I understand that you coordinated a group of medical and support volunteers to deliver critical aid to over 400 families on the island. This is a testament to your compassion, leadership, and courage. I commend you for the important contributions you have made to our Nation. Thank you for your service. Sincerely, Mark R. Warner, United States Senator - U.S. House of Representatives, September 17, 2018 ### A letter of support to FEMA from Congressman Darren Soto Written to FEMA Administrator William B. Long for Tony Rosado and the AVERT Florida Rapid Response Team, after their work in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and in the Carolinas following Hurricane Florence. “I urge you to work with groups like AVERT and to allow them to continue their volunteer efforts in future disasters.” - U.S. House of Representatives ### Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition Presented to Michael Brewer by Congressman Scott Peters of California’s 52nd District for promoting BlackBoxx as an international partner in humanitarian relief. “Your service and dedication to helping others is commendable.” - Commonwealth of Kentucky, December 1, 2022 ### Kentucky Colonel Governor Andy Beshear commissioned the Honorable Michael S. Brewer a Kentucky Colonel, “with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities thereunto appertaining.” - State of Arkansas, September 9, 2022 ### Arkansas Traveler Governor Asa Hutchinson commissioned Michael Brewer an Arkansas Traveler, an ambassador of good will from Arkansas to the people of other states and nations. - In the news ### Covered by the people who saw the work - [Virginia veteran works to make sure all donations reach those in need in Bahamas, unlike in Puerto Rico](https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/va-veteran-working-make-sure-all-donations-reach-people-need-bahamas-unlike-puerto-rico/65-04afa063-181e-4b27-bc5c-3bf0ca7955b5)WUSA9, October 4, 2019 - [Local volunteers help Canadian government locate missing man in Bahamas](https://cbs12.com/news/local/local-volunteers-help-canadian-government-locate-missing-man-in-bahamas)CBS12, September 22, 2019 - [Fla. Firefighter EMT returns from Bahamas, says it’s “like a war zone”](https://www.firerescue1.com/search-rescue/articles/fla-firefighter-emt-returns-from-bahamas-says-its-like-a-war-zone-hSrQjV9rr6pKPIJj/)FireRescue1, from the Daily Commercial, September 20, 2019 - [Mascotte man heads to Bahamas to aid with relief efforts](https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/local/clermont/2019/09/06/mascotte-man-heads-to-bahamas-to-aid-with-relief-efforts/3476750007/)Daily Commercial, September 6, 2019 - [“Grateful for any help”: Tony Rosado in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria](https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/local/2017/10/04/mascotte-resident-helps-maria-victims-through-response-team/18621696007/)Daily Commercial, October 4, 2017 [Press kit and fact sheet](https://avertusa.org/press/) The people ## Who answers the call. ### Michael Brewer Organizer Michael has organized AVERT's deployments since the 2017 hurricane season, from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria to the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian, and is leading the relaunch. In 2023 he received the President's Lifetime Achievement Award for 4,480 hours of volunteer service. He is a commissioned Kentucky Colonel and an Arkansas Traveler. [See the honors](https://avertusa.org/about/#recognition) or [find Michael on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesbrewer). - AVERT Florida Rapid Response TeamTony Rosado Spent five weeks in Jayuya, Puerto Rico, after Hurricane Maria, and went to Abaco with the Florida team after Hurricane Dorian, serving as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, 2023. - Team memberAaron Kimball President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, 2023, for a lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service. ### Relaunch roll call - Web designTHATDEVELOPERGUY LLC Built and donated this website. A service disabled veteran owned business in Cassville, Missouri. [thatdeveloperguy.com](https://thatdeveloperguy.com) - OpenYour name here Advisory board seats, distribution centers and development roles are open. [See the roles](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) Our charter ## Find the gap. Build the solution. Hand it off. AVERT exists to close the gap between disaster and organized response. We stay lean, work through partners and put the mission ahead of the logo. When the work can carry on without us, we hand it off and move to the next gap. [Read the charter](https://avertusa.org/charter/) - ### Mission over brand. AVERT exists to solve problems, not to create visibility for itself. - ### Relationships before introductions. Trust, access and interoperability are built before they are needed. - ### Requirements before resources. AVERT asks what is actually needed before collecting money, goods or people. - ### Connection before acquisition. AVERT seeks to activate available capability before buying redundant capability. - ### Integration before duplication. AVERT strengthens effective efforts and fills uncovered gaps. - ### Temporary structure for temporary problems. AVERT creates only the organization required to solve the mission in front of it. - ### Handoff is success. AVERT leaves when the mission can continue without AVERT. - ### Learn every time. Every operation and exercise should make the next response better. Questions ## Straight answers. What is AVERT? AVERT is the American Volunteer Emergency Response Team, an all volunteer disaster relief team based in Arkansas. We carry donated supplies into disaster areas and deliver them to the people, first responders and charities working there. Is everyone at AVERT a volunteer? Yes. AVERT runs on a 100 percent volunteer basis, supported by donations and volunteers’ own resources. What does AVERT deliver? Food, water, blankets, pet food and other essentials, plus the specific items people on the ground ask for. Where has AVERT worked? Our documented work includes the 2017 hurricane season, with recovery work in Texas after Hurricane Harvey and in Florida after Hurricane Irma, and medical and support volunteers who delivered aid to over 400 families in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. In 2018 we were back on the road after Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas, and in 2019 we went to the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian. Who leads AVERT? Michael Brewer has organized AVERT's deployments since 2017 and is leading the relaunch. Is AVERT responding to a disaster right now? Not at the moment. The relaunch is focused on building the team and the supply chain before the next disaster. How can I help? [Volunteer for an open relaunch role](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/), [offer space for a regional distribution center](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/?role=distribution#raise-your-hand), or [give money or supplies](https://avertusa.org/donate/). What should I do if I am in danger? Call 911. AVERT is a volunteer relief team, not an emergency dispatch service. For federal disaster assistance, visit [DisasterAssistance.gov](https://www.disasterassistance.gov/). Canonical: https://avertusa.org/volunteer/ Updated: 2026-10-15 Volunteer # Answer the call. AVERT is relaunching, and we need people with skills, space and heart to get it off the ground. Pick the role that fits, or tell us where you could help. [Raise your hand](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/#raise-your-hand) [See the roles](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/#roles) Photo illustration Open roles ## What is on the board. ### Advisory board members Open, 5 seats Spots are limited to five. We want people who care deeply about relief in disasters and humanitarian crises, and who can help AVERT make good decisions when it comes to major gift campaigns. - You care deeply about disaster relief and humanitarian crises. - You bring a broad background and a strong personal and professional network. - You want a real voice in how AVERT approaches major gift campaigns. [Ask for a seat](https://avertusa.org/?role=advisory#raise-your-hand) ### Web designers Answered AVERT asked for a real, grown up website and promised to feature whoever stepped up. A volunteer answered the call, and you are looking at the result. Built and donated by [THATDEVELOPERGUY LLC](https://thatdeveloperguy.com) Websites, hosting and engine optimization from Cassville, Missouri. A service disabled veteran owned small business founded by Joseph Anady. ### Distribution center managers Open This is not for a current or active mission. We are building a solid logistics and donation management supply chain in key regions, so it is ready before it is needed. - You live near, but not inside, a hurricane, wildfire or flood zone. - You can volunteer some space and some of your time. - You are willing to help consolidate donations and relief supplies when disaster hits nearby. Not sure your spot qualifies? Check the staging belt on our [disaster country map](https://avertusa.org/#field-record), then tell us where you are. We will figure it out together. [Offer space](https://avertusa.org/?role=distribution#raise-your-hand) ### Development officers Open We are looking for people with experience managing charitable gift and donation programs who would like to help with outreach and execution. - You have run gift or donation programs, or you are ready to learn how. - You enjoy reaching out to donors, partners and communities. - You want to help AVERT be ready before the next disaster, not after it. Experience is preferred, but if you just want to help, we will teach you what you need to know. [Join the development team](https://avertusa.org/?role=development#raise-your-hand) Raise your hand ## Tell us where you fit. Your note goes straight to the AVERT team. A volunteer will read it and follow up by email. ### No experience? Still raise your hand. Some roles call for a background in gift programs or logistics. Others mostly need heart, a little time and a willingness to learn. Questions ## Before you raise your hand. Is AVERT deploying right now? Not at the moment. The relaunch is about building the team and the supply chain before the next disaster, so the distribution center role is not tied to a current mission. Until then, please do not travel to a disaster area on your own. [Here is why](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#go-or-stay). Do I need experience? It depends on the role. Experience is preferred for development officers, but we will teach anyone who wants to help. Advisory board seats call for a broad background and a strong personal and professional network. Can I help in a way that is not listed? Yes. Choose Something else in the form and tell us what you bring. Canonical: https://avertusa.org/donate/ Updated: 2026-10-15 Give # Your gift rides with us. Not everyone can pack up and go. That is exactly why AVERT exists. Volunteers carry your support into disaster country and hand it to the people who need it, and we post from the field so you can see it arrive. [Give on GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/avert-disaster-relief) [Ways to give](https://avertusa.org/donate/#ways) Photo illustration Where your gift goes ## Every dollar gets a job. AVERT runs on a 100 percent volunteer basis, supported by donations and volunteers’ own resources. Volunteers pay their own way for training and gear, so your gift goes further. Fuel ### Getting there Gas and diesel to move volunteers and supplies into the disaster area. Supplies ### What people ask for Food, water, blankets, pet food, essentials and the specific items people on the ground request. Support ### Backing the effort Direct help for the first responders and relief efforts we work alongside. “I understand that you coordinated a group of medical and support volunteers to deliver critical aid to over 400 families on the island.” U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner, in an April 2018 letter about AVERT's work in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. [Read the letters](https://avertusa.org/about/#recognition) Ways to give ## Four ways to send help. - ### Give money Give online through AVERT’s GoFundMe, open since September 5, 2017 and organized by Michael Brewer in Fort Smith, Arkansas. As of October 15, 2026, 189 donors had given $16,714 there. GoFundMe handles the payment, and as the fundraiser explains, Michael withdraws funds as needed for fuel and specifically requested supplies. Gifts through GoFundMe are not tax deductible. [Give on GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/avert-disaster-relief) - ### Give supplies Water, food, blankets, pet food and essentials. Tell us what you have and where you are, and we will tell you where and when to send it. [Pledge supplies](https://avertusa.org/?give=supplies#pledge) - ### Give space Live near, but not inside, a hurricane, wildfire or flood zone? Lend space and time to a regional distribution center. [Offer space](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/?role=distribution#raise-your-hand) - ### Give expertise Help run gift and donation programs as a development officer, or take one of five advisory board seats. [See the roles](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/#roles) Pledge ## Put your name on the load. Tell us what you would like to give and Michael will follow up by email with where and when to send it. To give money right away, use [AVERT’s GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/avert-disaster-relief). Please pledge supplies instead of shipping them unannounced. A volunteer matches each pledge to a real request first. [Here is why](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#money-or-supplies). ### We show you the work. When AVERT is in the field, we post updates so donors can watch their support arrive where it was needed. Canonical: https://avertusa.org/contact/ Updated: 2026-10-15 Contact # Send word. Questions, offers of help, media requests, partner organizations. It all reaches the same team of volunteers. Photo illustration In danger right now? Call 911. AVERT is a volunteer relief team, not an emergency dispatch service. For federal disaster assistance, visit [DisasterAssistance.gov](https://www.disasterassistance.gov/) or call FEMA at 1-800-621-3362. ## Write to the team. Every message goes to Michael Brewer, AVERT’s organizer, and he or a volunteer will reply by email. You can also write directly to [mike@tornbergllc.com](mailto:mike@tornbergllc.com) or find AVERT on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/avertteam). ### Want to volunteer? The volunteer form asks the right questions for each role. [Raise your hand there](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/#raise-your-hand). ### Want to give? Give money on [AVERT’s GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/avert-disaster-relief), or pledge supplies and we will follow up with the details. [Make a pledge](https://avertusa.org/donate/#pledge). Canonical: https://avertusa.org/charter/ Updated: 2026-10-15 Charter and statement of purpose # Find the gap. Build the solution. Hand it off. The charter of the American Volunteer Emergency Response Team: why AVERT exists, how it works and how it measures success. Statement of purpose AVERT exists to close the gap between disaster and organized response. We establish ground truth, identify unmet needs, connect people and resources already on the ground, build temporary capabilities where necessary, and help communities until larger systems are ready to carry the mission forward. We remain lean, volunteer driven, partnership focused, and committed to placing mission above brand. We take what is needed, use it responsibly, give credit freely, hand off when the work is sustainable, and move to the next gap. The readiness cycle ## Ready before the storm, not during it. AVERT works a continuous cycle instead of switching on when disaster strikes and off when it passes. - Build - Connect - Rehearse - Respond - Integrate - Hand off - Learn - Build again Core principles ## Eight rules we work by. - ### Mission over brand. AVERT exists to solve problems, not to create visibility for itself. - ### Relationships before introductions. Trust, access, and interoperability are built before they are needed. - ### Requirements before resources. AVERT asks what is actually needed before collecting money, goods, or people. - ### Connection before acquisition. AVERT seeks to activate available capability before buying redundant capability. - ### Integration before duplication. AVERT strengthens effective efforts and fills uncovered gaps. - ### Temporary structure for temporary problems. AVERT creates only the organization required to solve the mission in front of it. - ### Handoff is success. AVERT leaves when the mission can continue without AVERT. - ### Learn every time. Every operation and exercise should make the next response better. Contents - [Preamble](https://avertusa.org/charter/#preamble) - [I. Mission](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-1) - [II. Operating Doctrine](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-2) - [III. Benevolent Discord](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-3) - [IV. Organizational Model](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-4) - [V. Readiness, Relationships, and Interoperability](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-5) - [VI. Capability Networks and Field Integration](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-6) - [VII. Interoperability and Rehearsal](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-7) - [VIII. Partnership and Relationship Stewardship](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-8) - [IX. Mission Over Brand](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-9) - [X. Stewardship of Resources](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-10) - [XI. Volunteers](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-11) - [XII. Field Conduct](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-12) - [XIII. Learning and Accountability](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-13) - [XIV. Transition and Handoff](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-14) - [XV. Continuous Readiness Cycle](https://avertusa.org/charter/#article-15) - [Organizational character](https://avertusa.org/charter/#character) ## The charter ### Preamble The American Volunteer Emergency Response Team exists to provide rapid, disciplined, and adaptable humanitarian assistance during the period between disaster impact and the establishment of sustained organized response. AVERT recognizes that disasters rarely produce an absolute absence of people, resources, goodwill, or capability. They produce fragmentation. Communications fail. Transportation is disrupted. Information becomes unreliable. Emergency services are overwhelmed. Volunteers and donations converge unevenly. Capabilities exist but are disconnected from the requirements they could satisfy. AVERT exists to identify those gaps, establish ground truth, connect available capabilities to actual needs, create temporary solutions where none exist, and transfer those solutions to appropriate local, governmental, nonprofit, or private sector partners as soon as conditions permit. ### Article I Mission AVERT shall provide rapid humanitarian response, operational coordination, capability integration, and gap filling support during disasters and humanitarian crises, with particular emphasis on the immediate period before conventional relief systems are fully established. AVERT shall seek to reach requirements that remain uncovered, populations that remain underserved, and operational problems that prevent assistance from reaching those who need it. AVERT's mission includes both emergency response and the year round development of relationships, interoperability, operational knowledge, and access to capabilities necessary for rapid humanitarian action. The organization shall treat preparedness as a continuous activity rather than an event initiated by a disaster. ### Article II Operating Doctrine AVERT shall operate according to a simple sequence: establish the situation, identify the gap, find what is available, build what is missing, execute the mission, transfer the capability, and leave when the work can continue without us. AVERT shall favor practical outcomes over institutional visibility and shall create only as much structure as the mission requires. AVERT shall regard adaptability, disciplined initiative, local knowledge, and trusted relationships as operational capabilities. ### Article III Benevolent Discord AVERT recognizes that spontaneous goodwill during disasters can unintentionally produce duplication, competition, logistical congestion, resource consumption, conflicting priorities, and inefficient distribution of assistance. AVERT refers to this condition as benevolent discord. AVERT shall actively reduce benevolent discord by coordinating with existing responders, avoiding unnecessary duplication, identifying underutilized capabilities, sharing information, consolidating complementary efforts, and directing resources toward unmet rather than already satisfied requirements. AVERT shall never create activity solely to justify its presence, sustain its visibility, or preserve an organizational role that the larger response no longer requires. ### Article IV Organizational Model AVERT shall maintain a deliberately lean permanent structure. The organization shall rely heavily upon volunteers, trusted relationships, donated capability, temporary teams, and partnerships rather than maintaining large standing bureaucratic or logistical structures. AVERT shall preserve the ability to make rapid decisions, create temporary partnerships, adapt to changing requirements, and operate without unnecessary administrative burden. AVERT shall maintain depth of relationships rather than breadth of bureaucracy. ### Article V Readiness, Relationships, and Interoperability AVERT recognizes that effective disaster response begins long before a disaster occurs. During periods of normal operations, AVERT shall deliberately develop and maintain relationships, partnerships, communications pathways, logistical access, and operational familiarity among organizations and individuals whose capabilities may become important during a future emergency. AVERT shall seek to ensure that, when a disaster occurs, response begins with trusted relationships rather than introductions. To accomplish this purpose, AVERT may engage with emergency management agencies, fire and rescue organizations, emergency medical services, law enforcement organizations, National Guard and other appropriate military organizations, nongovernmental organizations, charitable organizations, hospitals and medical providers, communications organizations, aviation providers, logistics and transportation companies, utilities, businesses, faith based organizations, community groups, and other organizations possessing capabilities relevant to humanitarian response. These relationships may be developed through training, professional conferences, nonprofit and emergency management events, capability demonstrations, facility visits, liaison activities, cross training, joint exercises, tabletop exercises, communications tests, logistics rehearsals, professional education, and informal relationship building. AVERT shall seek to understand both the capabilities and limitations of its partners before those capabilities are required in an emergency. ### Article VI Capability Networks and Field Integration AVERT shall maintain awareness of capabilities available throughout its network, including personnel, transportation, aviation, communications, medical support, logistics, warehousing, heavy equipment, power generation, water purification, fuel, shelter, food distribution, technical expertise, local knowledge, and other resources that may support disaster response. AVERT need not own or permanently control a capability in order for that capability to contribute to the organization's readiness. AVERT's effective operational capacity shall therefore include both its internal resources and the external capabilities it can responsibly access, coordinate, integrate, or support. During emergencies, AVERT may connect, organize, integrate, or enable underutilized personnel and resources when doing so responsibly increases the effectiveness of the larger response. AVERT may establish temporary mission focused teams around these capabilities and may operate those teams directly or support an appropriate partner organization in doing so. AVERT shall seek the minimum effective structure necessary to turn fragmented people and resources into useful capability. ### Article VII Interoperability and Rehearsal AVERT shall actively seek interoperability with organizations likely to operate within the same disaster environment. Interoperability shall include, where appropriate, familiarity with communications procedures, incident management systems, logistics processes, information sharing methods, operational terminology, safety practices, volunteer management procedures, and organizational authorities. AVERT shall use training and exercises to identify friction before emergencies occur and shall work with partners to develop practical means of overcoming those limitations. AVERT should periodically participate in or conduct exercises designed to test realistic disaster response problems, including degraded communications, transportation disruption, isolated populations, competing resource demands, spontaneous volunteers, overlapping charitable efforts, medical requirements, supply distribution, information uncertainty, and coordination among multiple independent organizations. Lessons derived from exercises shall inform AVERT planning, training, relationship development, and operational procedures. ### Article VIII Partnership and Relationship Stewardship AVERT shall actively cultivate relationships across local, state, and federal government; emergency services; nongovernmental organizations; nonprofit organizations; businesses; aviation; logistics; medicine; communications; community organizations; and private citizens. AVERT shall seek cooperation before competition and integration before duplication. Relationships established during normal operations shall be maintained through regular engagement and mutual support rather than contacted only when AVERT requires assistance. AVERT shall seek opportunities to support the missions of its partners, share useful knowledge, make productive introductions, and strengthen the larger emergency response community even when AVERT receives no immediate organizational benefit. The objective is not simply to build an AVERT network. The objective is to make the entire response network more capable before it is needed. ### Article IX Mission Over Brand AVERT shall judge success by the effect produced for affected populations rather than by organizational visibility. When another organization is better positioned to lead a mission, AVERT may provide personnel, coordination, relationships, resources, planning, or other support while allowing that organization to receive public recognition for the effort. AVERT shall not compete for missions already being effectively performed. The mission matters more than the logo. ### Article X Stewardship of Resources AVERT shall maintain a lean organizational model designed to place the greatest practical value possible against mission requirements. Fundraising and resource collection shall be driven by identified or reasonably anticipated operational requirements. AVERT shall not knowingly solicit goods, funds, or services for which no legitimate requirement exists. Donor resources shall be treated as mission resources and employed responsibly, efficiently, and transparently. Whenever practical, AVERT shall leverage partnerships, volunteer labor, donated capability, shared resources, and existing infrastructure before purchasing redundant capability. ### Article XI Volunteers AVERT is principally a volunteer organization. Participation shall be based upon demonstrated capability, reliability, judgment, integrity, willingness to coordinate, and the ability to operate without creating additional burdens upon affected communities. AVERT volunteers shall be expected to work within established command, coordination, safety, and accountability structures. Self deployment into AVERT operations without coordination shall be discouraged. AVERT recognizes that useful service is not limited to deployed responders. Individuals may contribute through professional expertise, logistics, fundraising, transportation, communications, supply sourcing, administration, public information, networking, technical support, local knowledge, or other useful capabilities. ### Article XII Field Conduct AVERT personnel shall operate with humility, professionalism, adaptability, self sufficiency, and respect for affected communities and established authorities. AVERT teams shall seek to minimize their logistical burden upon disaster areas. Personnel shall maintain accountability, communications, safety practices, and mission discipline appropriate to the operating environment. No AVERT member shall place organizational recognition ahead of the welfare of affected populations or the effectiveness of the larger response. ### Article XIII Learning and Accountability AVERT shall treat every operation, exercise, and significant training event as an opportunity to improve. Following significant deployments, the organization should assess what was expected to occur, what actually occurred, what succeeded, what failed, what should be sustained, and what should change. Lessons learned shall inform future training, planning, partnerships, and operations. Where appropriate and responsible, AVERT should communicate meaningful results and lessons to volunteers, donors, partners, and the public. ### Article XIV Transition and Handoff AVERT's presence in an affected area shall be temporary. When governmental agencies, local organizations, established nonprofits, businesses, or community structures become capable of sustaining a requirement, AVERT shall assist in transferring relationships, information, resources, or responsibilities necessary for continuity. AVERT shall then reduce or terminate its involvement in that requirement and redirect attention toward remaining gaps. AVERT shall measure success by the gaps it closes, the people it connects, the capabilities it creates, and how quickly those capabilities can stand without AVERT. ### Article XV Continuous Readiness Cycle AVERT shall maintain a continuous cycle of readiness rather than alternating between activity and inactivity. During periods before disaster, AVERT shall build relationships, map capabilities, train, exercise, improve interoperability, and strengthen the wider response community. During disaster, AVERT shall establish ground truth, identify uncovered requirements, activate relationships, integrate available capabilities, and close gaps. After the immediate requirement is stabilized, AVERT shall transfer capability, capture lessons, strengthen useful relationships, correct weaknesses, and return to readiness. This cycle may be summarized as: Build. Connect. Rehearse. Respond. Integrate. Hand Off. Learn. Build Again. ### Organizational character AVERT shall remain agile, lean, nonpartisan, mission oriented, and primarily volunteer supported. Its permanent structure shall remain subordinate to its humanitarian purpose. It shall build relationships, establish interoperability, and develop access to capabilities before emergencies occur so that disaster response begins with trusted partners rather than introductions. ## The short version See the need. Find your part. Do the work. [Answer the call](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) [Send help](https://avertusa.org/donate/) Canonical: https://avertusa.org/press/ Updated: 2026-10-15 Press and media # The facts, the coverage and the photos. For reporters, partners and anyone writing about AVERT. Every fact here links to where it comes from. Fact sheet ## AVERT at a glance. NameAVERT, the American Volunteer Emergency Response TeamPlease spell out the full name on first mention. Home baseFort Smith, Arkansas. Deploys wherever disaster hits. What it isAn all volunteer disaster relief team, funded by donations, that carries donated supplies into disaster areas and works alongside first responders and other charities. [About AVERT](https://avertusa.org/about/) OrganizerMichael Brewer. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, 2023, for 4,480 hours of volunteer service; Kentucky Colonel and Arkansas Traveler, 2022. [See the documents](https://avertusa.org/about/#recognition) DeploymentsTexas and Florida, 2017 (Harvey and Irma). Puerto Rico, 2017 (Maria): medical and support volunteers delivered aid to over 400 families, according to a letter from Senator Mark R. Warner. The Carolinas, 2018 (Florence), according to a letter from Congressman Darren Soto. The Bahamas, 2019 (Dorian): triage and medical aid on Abaco with Florida Search and Rescue, supply runs and search missions, covered by WUSA9, CBS12 and the Daily Commercial. Puerto Rico in 2017 was covered by American Thinker and the Daily Commercial. [Field record](https://avertusa.org/about/#field-record) How it worksAsk first, then deliver. Every load is matched to a request from the people on the ground. [Read the charter](https://avertusa.org/charter/) NowRelaunching in 2026 with an advisory board, regional distribution centers and a development team. [Open roles](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) GivingOnline gifts go to [AVERT’s GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/avert-disaster-relief), organized by Michael Brewer since September 5, 2017. Gifts are not tax deductible. ContactMichael Brewer, [mike@tornbergllc.com](mailto:mike@tornbergllc.com), or [send a media request](https://avertusa.org/contact/?topic=media#message). AVERT on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/avertteam). In the news ## Coverage of AVERT. - WUSA9, October 4, 2019[Virginia veteran works to make sure all donations reach those in need in Bahamas, unlike in Puerto Rico](https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/va-veteran-working-make-sure-all-donations-reach-people-need-bahamas-unlike-puerto-rico/65-04afa063-181e-4b27-bc5c-3bf0ca7955b5) Michael Brewer on the lesson from Puerto Rico, where supplies sat at the airport, and how the team ran daily needs checks and supply runs in the Bahamas. - CBS12, September 22, 2019[Local volunteers help Canadian government locate missing man in Bahamas](https://cbs12.com/news/local/local-volunteers-help-canadian-government-locate-missing-man-in-bahamas) Michael Brewer and Dr. Gwen DeLeon, on search and rescue missions with AVERT after Hurricane Dorian, find a missing Canadian man on Treasure Cay. - FireRescue1, from the Daily Commercial, September 20, 2019[Fla. Firefighter EMT returns from Bahamas, says it’s “like a war zone”](https://www.firerescue1.com/search-rescue/articles/fla-firefighter-emt-returns-from-bahamas-says-its-like-a-war-zone-hSrQjV9rr6pKPIJj/) Tony Rosado on the Florida team’s work on Abaco: triage, medical aid, search and rescue, and a clinic that got patients airlifted to Nassau. - Daily Commercial, September 6, 2019[Mascotte man heads to Bahamas to aid with relief efforts](https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/local/clermont/2019/09/06/mascotte-man-heads-to-bahamas-to-aid-with-relief-efforts/3476750007/) Tony Rosado and four other members of AVERT’s Florida team accept deployment to the Bahamas by Florida Search and Rescue, coordinated with Michael Brewer. - American Thinker, October 5, 2017[Hurricane Maria: What I Saw on Puerto Rico](https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/10/hurricane_maria_what_i_saw_on_puerto_rico.html) A first hand account from Ponce that quotes Michael Brewer of AVERT on the people cut off from food, water and supplies after the storm. - Daily Commercial, October 4, 2017[“Grateful for any help”](https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/local/2017/10/04/mascotte-resident-helps-maria-victims-through-response-team/18621696007/) Tony Rosado, born in Puerto Rico, on what he saw helping people there after Hurricane Maria. Media kit ## Logo and photos. Field photos were taken by AVERT volunteers. To publish one, send a request through the [contact form](https://avertusa.org/contact/?topic=media#message) so we can confirm the credit line. - The AVERT logoPNG, 1200 by 1200 pixels, white background[Download](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/press/avert-logo.png) - Michael Brewer, organizerJPG portrait, the Bahamas, 2019[Download](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/press/michael-brewer.jpg) - After Hurricane DorianJPG, the Bahamas, 2019[Download](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/press/bahamas-survey.jpg) - Search and rescue teamJPG, the Bahamas, 2019[Download](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/press/bahamas-search.jpg) - The crew and the supply trailerJPG[Download](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/press/team.jpg) Canonical: https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/ Updated: 2026-10-15 A field guide # How to help after a disaster without getting in the way. What the people who run disaster relief ask of everyone who wants to help, and what AVERT learned the hard way. Published October 15, 2026. On this page - [Why the wrong help causes problems](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#why) - [Money or supplies?](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#money-or-supplies) - [Can I just drive down and help?](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#go-or-stay) - [How to be ready for the next one](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#get-ready) - [How to check a relief group](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#check-a-charity) - [How AVERT does it](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#how-avert-works) - [Sources](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#sources) The short answer. Give money to a relief group you trust. Send goods only when a group on the ground has asked for them. Do not travel to a disaster area unless an established organization has asked you to come. And if you want to be useful next time, get trained before the next disaster. [[1]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-1) [[2]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-2) [[4]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-4) ## Why the wrong help causes problems After a disaster, goodwill pours in faster than anyone can sort it. FEMA puts it plainly: “Sending the wrong items or too many can overwhelm communities already facing challenges.” [[1]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-1) National VOAD, the national network of disaster relief groups, explains why: clothing, household items and mixed or perishable food make helping agencies pull volunteers off direct help “to sort, package, transport, warehouse, and distribute items that may not meet the needs of disaster survivors.” [[2]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-2) Some state emergency agencies call unsolicited donations “the second disaster.” [[8]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-8) AVERT has seen it firsthand. After Hurricane Maria, Michael Brewer told WUSA9, “We saw a lot of supplies sitting at the airport that didn’t go anywhere. They ended up throwing away relief aid when there’s families that really could have used that.” [[11]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-11) AVERT’s charter has a name for this: benevolent discord. It is what happens when spontaneous goodwill produces “duplication, competition, logistical congestion, resource consumption, conflicting priorities, and inefficient distribution of assistance.” Nobody means harm. The help just arrives in the wrong shape, in the wrong place or all at once. [[12]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-12) ## Is it better to give money or supplies? Money, in almost every case. FEMA says “giving money to trusted disaster relief organizations is usually the fastest and most effective way to help,” and National VOAD says it in capitals: “CASH IS BEST.” [[1]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-1) [[2]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-2) Cash lets the people on the ground buy exactly what is short, close to where it is needed. Supplies still matter when someone has asked for them. FEMA’s advice is to confirm the need first, because “needs can change quickly, so always check with local sources before donating.” [[1]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-1) That is why AVERT asks people to [pledge supplies](https://avertusa.org/donate/?give=supplies#pledge) rather than ship them: a volunteer matches the pledge to a real request before anything moves. The charter commits AVERT to it: the team “shall not knowingly solicit goods, funds, or services for which no legitimate requirement exists.” [[12]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-12) ## Can I just drive down and help? Please don’t, unless an organization working there has asked you to come. FEMA: “Don’t go to disaster areas on your own. While you may want to help, showing up without coordinating with a trusted organization can make things harder for responders and put you at risk.” [[1]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-1) National VOAD: “Until a need has been identified and the local community impacted has requested support, volunteers should not enter.” [[3]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-3) Emergency managers call people who show up this way unaffiliated or spontaneous volunteers. FEMA’s training for emergency managers notes that without established relationships, “verifying their training or credentials and matching them with the appropriate service areas can be difficult.” [[7]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-7) The fix is simple: join an organization before you go. AVERT’s own rule is the same, and its charter discourages “self deployment into AVERT operations without coordination.” [[12]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-12) ## How do I get ready to help with the next disaster? Get trained now, while it is quiet. Ready.gov points people to Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs, which teach “basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.” [[4]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-4) FEMA describes CERT as a nationwide approach to volunteer training “that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations.” [[5]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-5) The American Red Cross offers free disaster training to its volunteers. [[6]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-6) Then pick a group and get to know it before you are needed. AVERT’s charter calls this response that “begins with trusted relationships rather than introductions.” [[12]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-12) If you want that group to be AVERT, the [relaunch roles](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) are open now, including space for regional distribution centers near, but not inside, disaster country. ## How do I check that a relief group is real? Disasters bring out scammers along with helpers. The Federal Trade Commission suggests a few checks before you give: “Most states require charities and their fundraisers to register with the state regulator,” so look the group up; search for it in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool; and “don’t rush.” [[9]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-9) Pay by credit card or check, and “don’t donate to anyone who says you can only pay by cash, gift card, wiring money, or cryptocurrency.” [[9]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-9) [[10]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-10) Ask any group, ours included, who runs it, what it has done and where the money goes. AVERT publishes [its letters, honors and news coverage](https://avertusa.org/about/#recognition) and [its charter](https://avertusa.org/charter/) so you can check its record before you give. ## How AVERT does it Everything above is written into how AVERT works. In the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian, the team closed every day with the same wrap up, in Michael Brewer’s words: “What are you short? What do you need?” Then volunteers went to the supply locations, found who had what, loaded the truck and drove it there. [[11]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-11) The charter boils it down to a few rules: requirements before resources, connection before acquisition, integration before duplication, and handoff is success. [[12]](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/#source-12) [Read the charter](https://avertusa.org/charter/), [see the field record](https://avertusa.org/about/#field-record) or [send help](https://avertusa.org/donate/). ## Sources - [FEMA, Volunteer and Donate](https://www.fema.gov/disaster/recover/volunteer-donate), last updated April 20, 2026. - [National VOAD, Donate](https://www.nvoad.org/donate/), accessed October 15, 2026. - [National VOAD, Volunteer](https://www.nvoad.org/volunteer/), accessed October 15, 2026. - [Ready.gov, Get Involved](https://www.ready.gov/get-involved), last updated May 27, 2026. - [FEMA, Community Emergency Response Team](https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/individuals-communities/preparedness-activities-webinars/community-emergency-response-team), last updated April 22, 2026. - [American Red Cross, Disaster Training](https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/disaster-training), accessed October 15, 2026. - [FEMA Emergency Management Institute, IS 0703.b NIMS Resource Management](https://emilms.fema.gov/is_0703b/groups/251.html), accessed October 15, 2026. - [Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, Donations and Volunteers](https://gema.georgia.gov/get-involved/donations-volunteers), accessed October 15, 2026. - [Federal Trade Commission, Before Giving to a Charity](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/giving-charity), September 2025. - [Federal Trade Commission, When donating, support those in need, not a scammer](https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/08/when-donating-support-those-need-not-scammer), August 27, 2026. - [WUSA9, Virginia veteran works to make sure all donations reach those in need in Bahamas, unlike in Puerto Rico](https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/va-veteran-working-make-sure-all-donations-reach-people-need-bahamas-unlike-puerto-rico/65-04afa063-181e-4b27-bc5c-3bf0ca7955b5), October 4, 2019. - [AVERT, Charter and Statement of Purpose](https://avertusa.org/charter/), published October 15, 2026. Quotes are copied from each source as it read on October 15, 2026. If a source has changed, the source wins. Tell us through the [contact form](https://avertusa.org/contact/) and we will fix this page. ## The short version Ask first. Give money. Join before you go. [Answer the call](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) [Send help](https://avertusa.org/donate/) Canonical: https://avertusa.org/privacy/ Updated: 2026-10-15 Privacy notice # What happens to what you send us. Plain language, no fine print games. Updated October 15, 2026, when the site moved to avertusa.org and began counting visits. ## Who we are This website belongs to AVERT, the American Volunteer Emergency Response Team, an all volunteer disaster relief team. When this notice says "we," it means AVERT. ## What we collect We only collect what you choose to send us through the forms on this site: - Your name, email address and, if you add it, your phone number. - Your city and state, the volunteer roles you are interested in, and details you share about space, experience or supplies. - Pledge details such as the kind of gift and any amount you mention. - Anything you write in a message box. Like nearly every website, our web server also keeps short technical logs (such as IP address, browser type and pages requested) to keep the site secure and working. To stop spam, our forms keep a scrambled, one way version of your IP address for a short time so the same sender cannot flood them. ## How we use it - To reply to you and coordinate volunteering. - To follow up on pledges of money or supplies. - To keep this website secure and free of spam. - To count visits, so we know which pages help people and whether the forms work. ## What we do not do We do not sell your information. We do not use advertising trackers or advertising features, and we will not add you to a mailing list unless you ask to be added. ## Counting visits Optional Google Analytics is loaded through Google Tag Manager only after you choose “Allow analytics.” Until then, this site does not load Google’s analytics tags or send analytics events. Forms and donations links work with analytics off. Your browser’s Global Privacy Control signal keeps analytics off. If you allow it, Google receives the page address without its query string or fragment, the referring site’s origin without its path or search terms, the page title, basic device information and coarse location information. We count selected actions, such as opening the fundraiser, viewing a field image, watching the film, or successfully submitting a form. A fundraiser click is not a donation. Names, email addresses, phone numbers, messages, pledge amounts and form answers are not included in these events. Advertising storage, ad personalization and Google signals are disabled. Automatic form, search, download and outbound-click collection is disabled; the site sends a limited list of events instead. Google Analytics cookies start with _ga. We set their maximum lifetime to 60 days without renewing that lifetime on each visit. Detailed event and user data retention is set to two months. Aggregated reports may be kept longer. You can change your choice here or through “Privacy choices” in any page’s footer. Turning analytics off stops this site’s tracking and removes its Google Analytics cookies. Your choice is stored on this browser; it does not erase records already received by Google. If browser storage is unavailable, a choice applies to the current page only. Analytics is off until you allow it. Storm, picture and sound preferences are remembered on your device and are not sent to analytics. The rain and thunder sounds are made inside your browser. ## Who can see it Form submissions are emailed to Michael Brewer, AVERT’s organizer, at mike@tornbergllc.com, and shared with the AVERT volunteers who coordinate volunteering, giving and communications. They are stored on the server that hosts this website, run by THATDEVELOPERGUY LLC, which built the site and keeps it running for AVERT. Visit counts are processed by Google and seen by AVERT and THATDEVELOPERGUY. ## Online giving Online gifts are made on [AVERT’s GoFundMe](https://www.gofundme.com/f/avert-disaster-relief), organized by Michael Brewer. GoFundMe processes the payment under its own terms and privacy policy, and shares with the organizer what its platform normally shows organizers. AVERT never sees or stores your card number. ## How long we keep it We keep form submissions only as long as we need them to respond and coordinate with you, and we will delete them sooner if you ask. ## Your choices You can ask us what we have about you, ask us to correct it, or ask us to delete it. Just [send word through the contact form](https://avertusa.org/contact/) and tell us what you need. ## Children This website is meant for adults. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. ## Changes If we change how we handle information, we will update this page and the date at the top. 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/) Canonical: https://avertusa.org/sources/ Updated: 2026-10-15 AVERT / The public record # Sources & accountability A clear record matters. Read the original sources, distinguish history from current availability, and see the limits of each claim. ## Evidence you can inspect AVERT publishes its charter, original field photographs, recognition documents and links to independent reporting. The labels below distinguish AVERT’s own account from outside reporting and general public guidance. An outside link is a citation, not an affiliation or endorsement. ## How to read the record - Operations described in 2017 and 2019 are historical. Confirm current assignments directly with AVERT before traveling or sending supplies. - Recognition belongs to the named recipient and period. It does not establish a government partnership, professional license or current operational readiness. - The fundraiser’s public organizer location is not a staffed headquarters or a receiving address. - The cinematic storm sequences are illustrations; the field record identifies original operational photographs. - A precise founding date, EIN and IRS determination are not published here. Ask the organizer for documentation needed for a donation decision. ## Corrections and updates Send a correction through [AVERT’s contact page](https://avertusa.org/contact/?topic=media), with the page address, the statement in question and supporting evidence. Michael Brewer is the listed organizer and public contact. Published answers and structured exports are maintained from the same records. Updates should identify changed facts and their evidence; page timestamps alone do not prove a new field operation. Record notes updated October 15, 2026. These notes describe the sources available to this website; they are not an independent audit or a claim that every external link is continuously available. ## Source register independent reporting ### Virginia veteran works to make sure all donations reach those in need in Bahamas, unlike in Puerto Rico Michael Brewer on the lesson from Puerto Rico, where supplies sat at the airport, and how the team ran daily needs checks and supply runs in the Bahamas. [Read Virginia veteran works to make sure all donations reach those in need in Bahamas, unlike in Puerto Rico](https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/va-veteran-working-make-sure-all-donations-reach-people-need-bahamas-unlike-puerto-rico/65-04afa063-181e-4b27-bc5c-3bf0ca7955b5) independent reporting ### Local volunteers help Canadian government locate missing man in Bahamas Michael Brewer and Dr. Gwen DeLeon, on search and rescue missions with AVERT after Hurricane Dorian, find a missing Canadian man on Treasure Cay. [Read Local volunteers help Canadian government locate missing man in Bahamas](https://cbs12.com/news/local/local-volunteers-help-canadian-government-locate-missing-man-in-bahamas) independent reporting ### Fla. Firefighter-EMT returns from Bahamas, says it's 'like a war zone' Tony Rosado on the Florida team’s work on Abaco: triage, medical aid, search and rescue, and a clinic that got patients airlifted to Nassau. [Read Fla. Firefighter-EMT returns from Bahamas, says it's 'like a war zone'](https://www.firerescue1.com/search-rescue/articles/fla-firefighter-emt-returns-from-bahamas-says-its-like-a-war-zone-hSrQjV9rr6pKPIJj/) independent reporting ### Mascotte man heads to Bahamas to aid with relief efforts Tony Rosado and four other members of AVERT’s Florida team accept deployment to the Bahamas by Florida Search and Rescue, coordinated with Michael Brewer. [Read Mascotte man heads to Bahamas to aid with relief efforts](https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/local/clermont/2019/09/06/mascotte-man-heads-to-bahamas-to-aid-with-relief-efforts/3476750007/) first person report ### Hurricane Maria: What I Saw on Puerto Rico A first hand account from Ponce that quotes Michael Brewer of AVERT on the people cut off from food, water and supplies after the storm. [Read Hurricane Maria: What I Saw on Puerto Rico](https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/10/hurricane_maria_what_i_saw_on_puerto_rico.html) independent reporting ### 'Grateful for any help' Tony Rosado, born in Puerto Rico, on what he saw helping people there after Hurricane Maria. [Read 'Grateful for any help'](https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/local/2017/10/04/mascotte-resident-helps-maria-victims-through-response-team/18621696007/) organizer statement ### AVERT disaster relief — Michael Brewer The organizer, public location and described uses of donations. Historical campaign text is not a current deployment notice. [Read AVERT disaster relief — Michael Brewer](https://www.gofundme.com/f/avert-disaster-relief) organization policy ### AVERT charter and statement of purpose Published purpose, readiness cycle, operating principles and accountability commitments. [Read AVERT charter and statement of purpose](https://avertusa.org/charter/) current site information ### Current volunteer roles Relaunch roles and the inquiry process. An inquiry does not confirm acceptance, a deployment or an open field assignment. [Read Current volunteer roles](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) current site information ### Current ways to give The linked fundraiser, supply pledges, volunteer space and expertise; no on-site card collection. [Read Current ways to give](https://avertusa.org/donate/) current site information ### Contact AVERT Public contact route and emergency-service limitation. [Read Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/contact/) organization record ### AVERT field record and original photographs Documented historical operations and photographs; deployment dates do not indicate an active operation today. [Read AVERT field record and original photographs](https://avertusa.org/about/#field-record) primary document collection ### AVERT recognition and document scans Letters and certificates available for inspection. Honors are not a government contract, current credential or operational endorsement. [Read AVERT recognition and document scans](https://avertusa.org/about/#recognition) primary document ### Letter from U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner, April 23, 2018 A letter addressed to Michael Brewer concerning medical and support volunteers delivering critical aid to over 400 families in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. [Read Letter from U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner, April 23, 2018](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/honors/warner-full.webp) primary document ### Letter from U.S. Representative Darren Soto, September 17, 2018 Support for Tony Rosado and the AVERT Florida Rapid Response Team after Maria and Florence. Its historical founding-date wording has not been adopted as a verified founding date. [Read Letter from U.S. Representative Darren Soto, September 17, 2018](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/honors/soto-full.webp) primary document ### Michael Brewer — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award A 2023 volunteer-service award to Michael Brewer. [Read Michael Brewer — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/honors/pvsa-brewer-full.webp) primary document ### White House volunteer-service letter to Michael Brewer Recognition of Michael Brewer’s 4,480 hours of volunteer service. These are personal service hours, not a quantified AVERT impact total. [Read White House volunteer-service letter to Michael Brewer](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/honors/pvsa-letter-full.webp) primary document ### Tony Rosado — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award A 2023 volunteer-service award to Tony Rosado. [Read Tony Rosado — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/honors/pvsa-rosado-full.webp) primary document ### Aaron Kimball — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award A 2023 volunteer-service award to Aaron Kimball. [Read Aaron Kimball — President’s Lifetime Achievement Award](https://avertusa.org/assets/img/honors/pvsa-kimball-full.webp) public guidance ### National VOAD — Volunteer Coordinate with an established organization and wait for an identified need and assignment. AVERT does not claim National VOAD membership. [Read National VOAD — Volunteer](https://www.nvoad.org/volunteer/) public guidance ### National VOAD — Donate Match help to needs and coordinate donations before sending goods. [Read National VOAD — Donate](https://www.nvoad.org/donate/) public guidance ### FEMA — Volunteer and Donate Official disaster volunteering and giving guidance. Follow current instructions from authorities and responding organizations. [Read FEMA — Volunteer and Donate](https://www.fema.gov/disaster/recover/volunteer-donate) public guidance ### Ready.gov — Get Involved Official preparedness and community participation resources. [Read Ready.gov — Get Involved](https://www.ready.gov/get-involved) public guidance ### Federal Trade Commission — Before Giving to a Charity Research an organization, how funds will be used and the terms of a donation before giving. [Read Federal Trade Commission — Before Giving to a Charity](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/giving-charity) ## Reuse the public information The same public record is available in readable and structured formats. These files help people and tools retrieve consistent information; they do not certify the organization or promise a search placement. - [Full text reference](https://avertusa.org/llms-full.txt) - [Complete public information in JSON](https://avertusa.org/ai.json) - [Questions, answers and citations in JSON](https://avertusa.org/ai-answers.json) - [Linked organization and document data](https://avertusa.org/knowledge/graph.jsonld) - [Evidence register in JSON](https://avertusa.org/knowledge/evidence.json) Canonical: https://avertusa.org/resources/ Updated: 2026-10-15 AVERT / The public record # Resources for useful help Start with your purpose. Find the guidance, answers and records that help you make a well-informed next step. ## Offer your time Compare current roles, prepare an inquiry and coordinate before traveling. - [Volunteer with AVERT](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) - [Questions about volunteering](https://avertusa.org/answers/#volunteer-roles) - [How to Help After a Disaster](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/) ## Give useful support Review the giving options, match supplies to a request and confirm receiving arrangements. - [Give to AVERT](https://avertusa.org/donate/) - [How to offer supplies](https://avertusa.org/answers/#give-supplies) - [Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/contact/) ## Check the public record Read historical accounts, inspect documents and distinguish field records from illustrations. - [About AVERT](https://avertusa.org/about/) - [AVERT Sources & Accountability](https://avertusa.org/sources/) - [AVERT Charter](https://avertusa.org/charter/) ## Share the story Find reporting and media materials, or watch the illustrated introduction with captions. - [AVERT Press Kit](https://avertusa.org/press/) - [How Help Gets There](https://avertusa.org/film/) - [Media inquiries](https://avertusa.org/contact/?topic=media) ## Every page in one place Use this directory to reach the complete public website. For immediate danger, call 911; AVERT’s forms are for ordinary inquiries and coordination. - [AVERT](https://avertusa.org/) — Meet AVERT, the American Volunteer Emergency Response Team. Explore its disaster relief record, volunteer relaunch roles and ways to give. - [About AVERT](https://avertusa.org/about/) — Meet AVERT’s volunteers and inspect its hurricane relief history, original field photographs, recognition documents and independent reporting. - [Volunteer with AVERT](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) — Explore AVERT’s advisory, distribution and development roles. Tell the volunteer team about your location, experience, available space and skills. - [Give to AVERT](https://avertusa.org/donate/) — Support AVERT through its linked fundraiser or offer supplies, space and expertise. Learn how pledges work and coordinate gifts before sending them. - [Contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/contact/) — Contact AVERT about volunteering, giving, media or its published record. This form is for coordination and inquiries, not emergency dispatch. - [AVERT Charter](https://avertusa.org/charter/) — Read AVERT’s charter: its readiness cycle, coordination principles, volunteer roles, accountability and approach to unmet needs after a disaster. - [AVERT Press Kit](https://avertusa.org/press/) — Find AVERT’s public background, media contact, original field photos, logo and links to independent reporting about its disaster relief work. - [How to Help After a Disaster](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/) — Give effectively, coordinate requested supplies and arrange a volunteer assignment before traveling. A sourced guide to helping after a disaster. - [AVERT Privacy Notice](https://avertusa.org/privacy/) — Understand AVERT’s contact forms, optional analytics, data retention and privacy choices. Change analytics permission or ask about your information. - [AVERT Questions & Answers](https://avertusa.org/answers/) — Find sourced answers about AVERT’s people, disaster relief record, volunteer roles, donations and recognition. Every answer links to its evidence. - [AVERT Sources & Accountability](https://avertusa.org/sources/) — Inspect AVERT’s field record, recognition documents, independent reporting and charter. See what each source supports and how to request a correction. - [How Help Gets There](https://avertusa.org/film/) — Watch AVERT’s short illustrated film about coordinating relief supplies, with English captions, a transcript and links to its documented field record. Canonical: https://avertusa.org/film/ Updated: 2026-10-15 AVERT / The public record # How help gets there A short illustrated journey from a storm to coordinated supplies and a handoff. These are AI-generated illustrations, not footage of an AVERT deployment. [Download the film](https://avertusa.org/assets/film/how-help-gets-there.mp4) or read the transcript below. 33 seconds · Silent, AI-generated illustrations · English descriptive captions These scenes illustrate a relief-supply journey. For photographs of AVERT’s documented operations, visit the [original field record](https://avertusa.org/about/#field-photos). ## Film transcript and visual descriptions This silent film uses AI-generated illustrations. The captions summarize the scenes; the transcript describes them in more detail. The original field record is linked separately. ### The storm hits. An illustrated coastal storm introduces the need to identify what people on the ground are asking for. [Play this chapter](https://avertusa.org/film/#chapter-storm) ### Gifts become cargo. Donated supplies are shown stacked in a hall. Coordinated gifts become the requested cargo. [Play this chapter](https://avertusa.org/film/#chapter-hall) ### We drive toward the damage. Volunteers are illustrated loading a truck with supplies for the journey. [Play this chapter](https://avertusa.org/film/#chapter-loading) ### Help reaches people. An illustrated handoff shows water reaching a resident. Coordination connects requested supplies with a receiver. [Play this chapter](https://avertusa.org/film/#chapter-porch) ### Your town. A truck stands beside a neighborhood at sunrise. Read AVERT’s field record for documented operations; confirm current needs before acting. [Play this chapter](https://avertusa.org/film/#chapter-dawn) [Download the English captions](https://avertusa.org/assets/film/how-help-gets-there.en.vtt) · [Download the MP4](https://avertusa.org/assets/film/how-help-gets-there.mp4) ## Put help in motion Read [how to help after a disaster](https://avertusa.org/help-after-a-disaster/) for sourced guidance on giving and coordinated volunteering. Check the [current relaunch roles](https://avertusa.org/volunteer/) or [contact AVERT](https://avertusa.org/contact/) before planning a delivery or assignment.