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Location
Multiple Locations +4
  • Philippines
  • Mexico
  • United States of America
  • Ukraine
Project Types
Community Development Building Projects Social Services Disaster Relief Refugee Relief
Need-based funding
Health & Safety
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Program Details

Language
English
Age Min.
18
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

What's Included
Accommodation Meals Some Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare SIM cards Transportation Travel Insurance Visa
Apr 17, 2024
Sep 19, 2021
Wish List
8 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

All Hands and Hearts provides community-inspired, volunteer-powered disaster relief.

With the frequency and intensity of disasters on the rise around the globe, there's an urgent need for a more thoughtful approach to how we respond and help impacted communities recover. When a disaster strikes, All Hands and Hearts arrives early and stays late to address vulnerable communities' immediate and long-term needs. We work alongside the local leaders and deploy our unique volunteer model to enable direct impact — helping families and communities recover by building safe, resilient schools, homes and other community infrastructure.

Thanks to passionate volunteers, donors and partners, we've provided nearly 20 years of disaster relief support to over 1.3 million people.

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Video and Photos

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Volunteers wearing purple shirts in Nepal

Program Highlights

  • Free accommodation
  • Three meals a day for all volunteers days
  • No program fee to volunteer
  • No experience required
  • Make new global connections

Popular Programs

AHAH volunteers in purple shirts loading essential supplies for Hawaii wildfire relief

Hawaii Wildfire Relief

As a volunteer, you'll be making a meaningful impact on Maui, responding to wildfires that started on August 8. Our program, situated north of Lahaina, aims to support a community devastated by the fires.

Our team is focusing our efforts at the Napili Noho Community Hub on Maui, which supports families and aims to provide long-term support for communities recovering from the wildfires over the next two years.

AHAH volunteers in purple shirts doing construction work on Hurricane Ian impacted home

Florida Hurricane Relief

Our staff and volunteers continue to respond to recovery needs in Fort Myers, Florida following damage from Hurricane Ian. We are currently repairing homes so that homeowners can feel safe and secure at their residences.

Hurricanes hit quickly, but recovery is slow. Florida was hit on September 28, 2022, by Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm. Significant damage occurred in coastal towns and cities, while inland areas experienced life-threatening floods.

AHAH volunteers in Poland supporting Ukraine crisis relief with Ukraine flag

Ukraine Crisis Relief

All Hands and Hearts has been addressing the unique needs of families and individuals impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine since March 2022. With a focus on refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), we are committed to supporting these communities.

Filipino student swinging on new playground

Philippines Typhoon Relief

In May 2024, we will launch a new phase of our typhoon relief program in Southern Leyte, where we will mobilize volunteers and work alongside local community members to help build a school impacted by Typhoon Rai.

Program Reviews

4.96 Rating
based on 74 reviews
Leave a Review
  • 5 rating 95.95%
  • 4 rating 4.05%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.95
  • Support 4.9
  • Fun 4.9
  • Value 4.95
  • Safety 4.85
Showing 25 - 32 of 74 reviews
Default avatar
jim
51
Male
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Another great experience

May 10, 2018

I was the better part of a year with this project. I go back with the org to Katrina and Rita response in Biloxi. Always a productive and amazing experience with great people. I've been staff multiple times, a non-profit partner, and a volunteer again on Project Louisiana. The housing facilities in Denham Springs were amazing and extremely welcoming. Reunited with a lot of recurring peoples from past responses and rebuilds, and met a lot of great new peoples too. Good stuffs all around.

35 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Teddy
30
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

All Hands and Hearts

May 10, 2018

I've been a part of multiple programs, but the combination of work output and overall need in the community puts Puerto Rico at the top of my list in terms of most impactful All Hands' projects. The volunteers are the most genuine people I've ever met, and the staff are both brilliant problem solvers and caring helpers. Time on base reminded me that life is best when its simple, and humanity peaks when people help others without any explanation or reasoning.

What would you improve about this program?
n/a
39 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Cassidy
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

All Hands & Hearts Still Doing Recovery In Houston!!!

May 10, 2018

People still need help in Texas after Hurricane Harvey and AH&H is still there when most organizations have left. AH&H brings a variety of people together to live and work with each other. You create a family with the people you meet and they become life long friends. I have learned so much about myself and the value of community from working with this organization. I highly recommend this organization to anyone seeking adventure and a valuable learning experience. They work all over the world and get there early and stay late.

What would you improve about this program?
More hang out sessions with volunteers and staff members!
39 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Andrew
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Sweat, Tears and Smiles

May 10, 2018

Talk about hard and rewarding work... With years of volunteering, its rare to find a volunteer community as strong and passionate as this one. All Hands and Hearts does an excellent job balancing work completed with an immersive and structured volunteer experience. Program staff make incredible strides to insure the comfort of all the volunteers, so that they can better impact the communities they are assisting.

With skilled leaders at the helm of every site, volunteers can expect to challenge themselves learning basic to advanced construction skills with opportunities to lead and teach others. If you're searching for a way to give back, one of the most valuable things you can give is time. It means the world to the people who need assistance getting back on their feet after a devastating disaster that displaced thousands. Prepare to share tears and smiles with amazing and grateful homeowners and like-minded volunteers.

Give two weeks now, impact someones life forever.

What would you improve about this program?
More volunteers!
43 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Ryan
38
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Paradigm Shifting Experience

May 10, 2018

All Hands and Hearts Volunteers has changed my life. I found All Hands Volunteers last October and volunteered for a while and eventually became staff. The communal environment is good for the soul and the work is something to channel passion into and get the most out of the human experience. I have been part of something larger than myself, helping those most vulnerable, and made life long friends and countless beautiful experiences along the way. I would recommend them to anyone who loves to be around others, really get to know themselves, and do some good work.

What would you improve about this program?
The staff is passionate and there for the right reasons, AHAH can do a better job of retaining staff for long term. Everything else is amazing and I love being part of this beautiful organization.
42 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
JeriAnna
31
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

It felt like home

Apr 12, 2018

I never knew a group of strangers from all over the world could make such a huge impact and feel like family. The communal living was great! great food, great accommodations! I was on the Texas project for 5 months. I wish I could have stayed longer.

The staff was amazing and kind, and the work was difficult but rewarding! I would recommend this program to anyone!!! I will be back! There is no doubt about that!

What would you improve about this program?
n/a
45 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Devin
36
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Always a great experience

Jul 20, 2017

I've participated on several All Hands projects now, and the reasons I keep coming back are plentiful. AHV is full of amazing people from all over the country and the world, absolutely committed to connecting with those affected by disasters and doing everything they can to get them real help. It's an incredible community, and everyone always loves the time they spend as a part of it.

You don't need to bring any skills or experience, just a commitment to learning and contributing.

38 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Heather
47
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Changed my life

Jul 19, 2017

I have been helping with disaster relief and recovery on All Hands projects for the past four years. What started out as a three month stint has totally changed the course of my life. Volunteering with All Hands has given me an outlet to help
people through some of the worst moments of their lives, has given me life skills I will have with me forever, helped me grow in ways I never could have imagined and has helped me become part of the best family I have ever known. Everyday, I get to work alongside some of the best people I have ever met. While making a difference and having fun at the same time. How many people can say that?

35 people found this review helpful.
Helpful

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Dana Beguerie

Program
All Hands and Hearts - Disaster Relief Nonprofit
Dana Beguerie

Why did you choose this program?

I've worked with All Hands and Hearts twice now. The first time I volunteered in St. Thomas, they were offering free flights for people able to stay for 2+ weeks. I have generous vacation time, so I decided to go for it!

I had such an amazing experience in the St. Thomas program that I decided to sign up for their Puerto Rico program and had another fantastic experience. I can't wait to volunteer with them again and I hope to spend longer than a week.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

For the St. Thomas trip in 2019, they booked my airfare and had accommodations set up on their base, where they provided meals, transportation to work sites, and sleeping quarters. My responsibility was to get from the airport to and from their base and cover meals on the weekends.

This most recent trip to Puerto Rico, I was responsible for my airfare, transportation to and from the base, and weekend meals. They took care of the rest.

Neither of these trips required a Visa as they're both US territories.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Once All Hands and Hearts has confirmed your volunteer dates, they send you a packet of information with everything you need to know: what to pack, transportation options, the type of work you'll be doing, etc. It's incredibly informative and in line with what to expect when you arrive on base.

After the St. Thomas trip, I orchestrated a group trip to volunteer with All Hands and Hearts through a social volunteer organization I work with called One Brick. We traveled with a group of ten and everyone told me they had a great experience and would volunteer with All Hands and Hearts again - even without the group.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

For the two programs I have worked on, workdays are Monday to Friday from 8 am-4 pm. All Hands and Hearts operate multiple worksites at once all in various stages of completion.

In St. Thomas, I did a lot of interior and exterior painting and installing doorknobs. For Puerto Rico, we did mold remediation and roofing work. The site supervisors and team leaders are knowledgable and do not make you do any work you're uncomfortable with doing.

After work, there is a base-wide debrief meeting at 5 pm where we go over successes, work for the next day, program updates, fundraising updates, etc. Dinner is served between 5:30-6 pm and then people mostly hang out on base. Both locations had a curfew.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I was pretty nervous about sharing a room with 10-20 people because we're also spending the day together at the worksite, but there are so many people on base to hang out with and if you need your space and are feeling burnt out, people give you plenty of space.

I know some people are concerned that they do not know enough about construction or home repair to help. Since All Hands and Hearts has different types of projects going on, there is something for everyone. Don't let that stop you!

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Jessica Thompson

Program
All Hands and Hearts - Disaster Relief Nonprofit
Job Title
All Hands' Director of Volunteer Coordination
Jess Thompson is All Hands and Hearts' Training and Development Manager. She helps make sure staff and volunteers have the training they need to be efficient and effective in the field.
Director of Volunteer Coordination

Did you volunteer abroad? If so, where and what inspired you to go?

I volunteered with All Hands for 16 months in Indonesia and Haiti before becoming staff. Like all of our volunteers, I was driven to help those who need support following the impact of a natural disaster

As with a large number of our alumni I signed up for just a couple of weeks but the work was so meaningful, my fellow volunteers so inspirational and the communities so welcoming I found I didn't want to leave. In the last five years I have now been to 17 projects, and a part of many more from my desk at home, and seeing communities being supported on the road to recovery is as satisfying as it was my first week on the ground as a volunteer.

What does the future hold for All Hands Volunteers - any exciting new programs to share?

As a disaster response organization it is impossible for us to predict where and when our next project will be. We have cleaned up after floods, rebuilt after typhoons, cleared debris after tornados and shoveled snow after the historical snowstorms that hit the Boston area this year.

If local mechanisms, agencies and individuals are overwhelmed by the scale of the damage All Hands will look at ways that volunteers can plug in and fill the gaps, whether this mean winterizing homes in Colorado or building boats in Samar. We're always looking for unmet needs in the communities we serve and how we can use the motivation and dedication of our volunteers to address them.

Do your volunteers require certain qualifications or go through a training process?

All Hands is committed to enabling motivated people to assist communities affected by natural disasters. We try to remove as many barriers to participation as possible so that our volunteer population is as diverse and innovative as possible.

We do not require our volunteers to have any special skills or previous experience, and there is no minimum or maximum amount of time you must sign up for. If you have the time and ability to travel to the location of our of our projects, and we have space, you're in! Our Team Leaders will share their expertise with you, making sure you have all the information and techniques you need to have a positive and productive time in the field.

What is the level of cultural immersion your volunteers receive?

All of our projects involve lots of interaction with the local community. We welcome local residents as volunteers, and many projects hire a large local workforce to help us with highly skilled tasks such as translation and construction.

You'll also work side by side with the homeowners and beneficiaries you're assisting, clearing basements of debris, building houses, cutting down and removing fallen trees and so on. Outside of the workday, you are free to explore the area as much as you'd like, eating in mom and pop restaurants, riding local transport and getting roped into the local sport of choice - your skill level is irrelevant!

About All Hands and Hearts

All Hands and Hearts provides community-inspired, volunteer-powered disaster relief. With both the frequency and intensity of disasters on the rise around the globe, there’s an urgent need for a more thoughtful approach to the way we respond and help impacted communities recover. When a disaster strikes, All Hands and Heart arrive early and stay...
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