The following are questions that we are frequently asked.
Yes!
HOPE can use members that own H1s, H2s, or H3s. Each model has it's own strengths and we would be happy to have any volunteers that own any model of HUMMER.
Yes, you have to be a member in good standing with the THCI to join the HOPE program.
Yes you do
In order to be able to provide your services to the Red Cross in a disaster, you will have to become a Red Cross volunteer.
In fact, to join HOPE, you will have to join the St. Joseph Chapter of the Red Cross which is located in South Bend, Indiana. Once your HOPE training is completed, your name is sent to your local chapter and you become a volunteer of that chapter.
All deployments are coordinated by your chapter of the Red Cross. You should never allow yourself to be in an emergency deployment alone. There is safety in numbers. If you are the only HUMMER at your chapter level you could be deployed with other ARC personal or emergency equipment.
As of February 2007, there are 244 members in varying stages of completion.
No. If for any reason, you are unable or unwilling, you are under no obligation to deploy.
Being a HOPE member and a Red Cross volunteer, you are just that, a volunteer. While we would love to have all possible members deployed, we understand that you all have personal lives, with events that make it difficult or impossible to be available at the drop of a hat.
Further, volunteering in a disaster response can be dangerous work. Therefore, if the conditions of a deployment exceed your comfort level, do not hesitate to opt out of a deployment. We do not want our members to do anything they are unwilling or untrained to do or to become a liability to any disaster relief efforts.
No. Immediate family members will only have to pay the Red Cross fee of $55 per HOPE member.
When you first become a full member of HOPE, your local Red Cross chapter will be notified and you will have to join that chapter as a volunteer if you are not one already.
At this point, you can be deployed in your local Red Cross chapter and usually in state.
In order to volunteer outside your state, you must obtain your DSHR qualifications. See "What is the Red Cross DHSR?" for more info. Once you are in the DSHR system, you can be deployed anywhere in the US.
GM announced on November 9, 2004 a gift directly to the American Red Cross to be used to purchase HUMMERs for the local chapters. This gift does not go to The HUMMER Club, Inc. The club must self-fund HOPE.
The application fee you pay when you apply to HOPE is used for this purpose. It pays for the first aid kit, door magnets, etc that you receive once you are a member. If you are deployed, all costs are on you. If you are a DSHR Red Cross volunteer, you might be reimbursed for certain expenses incurred while acting as a Red Cross volunteer, which might include food, fuel, and lodging depending on the level of the disaster. But other than that, all costs are paid by you and the program is administered by volunteers.
The American Red Cross is committed to the safety and security of its staff, volunteers, and clients. As such, the National office of the American Red Cross must have background checks on file for all Red Cross staff and volunteers.