Volunteer at a County emergency shelter

Current extreme weather response status: Not active

During dangerous weather emergencies, Multnomah County opens life-saving Disaster Resource Centers (DRCs) across our community that offer people shelter, safety, resources and connection — especially those who are at greatest risk of harm.

We often welcome the support of community members like you when the need arises. Depending on where we set up shelters, you might even be able to assist at a site in your own neighborhood!

Getting trained and gaining basic shelter skills ahead of time can help you be prepared and ready to support these important efforts. Attending a Disaster Resource Center info session and/or a General Staff training are a great way to start your volunteer journey. We also encourage you to visit the Roles and Requirements page to learn more about the required and recommended trainings for various volunteer positions. You can also request a group info session and training.

Upcoming Info Sessions and Trainings

DRC Info Sessions are virtual events for people interested in learning more about Multnomah County's Disaster Resource Centers. These are open to anyone who is interested. Simply save the Google Meet URL in your calendar and join us on the date and time of the session.

The "DRC Staff Roles" Trainings are virtual events for those interested in volunteering as General Staff in the County’s Disaster Resource Centers during severe weather sheltering events. An RSVP is required to attend this training. The Google Meet link will be emailed to you within 24 hours of the start of the training.

The "Trauma-informed Disaster Resource Centers" Training is a new, advanced virtual training which provides an engaging overview of the person-centered approach, trauma-informed care and harm reduction practices that guide our Disaster Resource Centers, along with tips on de-escalation and ways to support our whole DRC community. An RSVP is required to attend this training. The Google Meet link will be emailed to you within 24 hours of the start of the training.

If you can’t attend any of the sessions listed below, fill out the Community Volunteer Interest Form to be notified about upcoming opportunities. For questions, ESF6.MassCare@multco.us.

Be sure to register as a volunteer

Effective this summer, Multnomah County will use the Better Impact platform to manage shelter volunteer registration and sign-ups. Whether you have previously volunteered at a County emergency shelter or are interested in volunteering for the first time, you must have a Better Impact account to sign up for any role supporting emergency activations starting this summer. You will not be able to volunteer during an emergency activation without a Better Impact account. 

Register for an account with Better Impact here. The process of creating an account takes about 10 minutes. Please check your email for next steps upon registering. 

When opportunities to support an emergency response arise, you will be notified by Better Impact via email to sign up for shifts. 

Already have a Better Impact account? You can use your existing login information and sign up for volunteer shifts by merging profiles.

Reference Better Impact How-To videos for extra help signing up, including this video that walks users through the landing page after creating an account.

If you have any questions or need technical assistance, please email eoc.adminsection@multco.us.

Watch: What it's like to volunteer at a shelter

Watch this County video about what it’s like to work in the General Staff role:

Watch: Why volunteer at emergency shelters?

Hear from a few County employees about why they make the choice to sign up for shifts in our emergency shelters during a severe weather activation.