When most people run away from massive disasters, ShelterBox USA volunteers race in to help.
The international nonprofit organization is dedicated to providing emergency shelter and more for families displaced by flooding, earthquakes, and conflicts.
ABC15 Mornings Anchor Kaley O'Kelley caught up with ShelterBox USA's president, Kerri Murray.
"We focus on the provision of emergency shelter and essential supplies to set up a household. It looks like a camping tent, but it is not. This is made for humanitarian purposes and a family will call this home quite possibly for months," said Murray.
Murray is the hands-on heartbeat of ShelterBox USA.
"Shelter is so much more than just a roof. It's the foundation for life, families, and communities. It is a place to feel safe and a space to heal from trauma," Murray added.
A Rotary Club in Cornwall, England, first adopted ShelterBox USA as a millennium project over two decades ago. Now, it's become the largest Rotarian partnership in the world.
Murray says an impressive amount of support is coming from Rotary Clubs across Arizona.
"We've been able to reach nearly three million people with emergency shelter since we got started more than 20 years ago and so many residents of Arizona, including board members we've had over the years, and so many volunteers hail from Arizona and make this work possible," Murray said.
Sharee Sheets is one of those Rotarians. The Peoria mom once managed volunteers for ShelterBox USA. Now, she's the gift records specialist.
"ShelterBox has resonated with donors in Arizona because of our commitment to transparency. People here want to know how their money is impacting others and we are dedicated to providing detailed reports to make sure donors can see the dollars being donated are being used effectively," said Sheets. "I know that in 2022 as the Ukraine crisis and conflict began to escalate, our volunteers felt that call to action, and within a couple of weeks, we had over $100,000 in donations coming from various Rotary Clubs across Arizona."
Sheets hopes that by sharing the story of ShelterBox USA, more people will find ways to get involved.
"I would love to see us have schools challenge each other to fundraisers and learn about how they can have an impact to a child, that they might be able to provide laughter to someone across the other side of the world," said Sheets.
If you are an Arizona resident inspired by the work of ShelterBox USA, donations can be made here.
To learn more about organizing a fundraising event or volunteering your time, email info@shelterboxusa.org.
