Besides working diligently to issue the most accurate forecasts and warnings possible, our service extends well beyond the bricks and mortar in which we work.  Annually during the NWS Week of Service, our staffs make a concerted effort to reach out to our communities and help those in need.  All of these additional activities occurred outside of our normal work hours.

This will be our 13th year of helping those in our community. Due to the COVID-19 variants, we are going to continue to conduct this through the entire meteorological autumn (September 1 through November 30 for those who are not meteorologists). This will allow more flexibility to volunteer in our communities and help those in need.  Where COVID outbreaks are still occurring, we encourage volunteer activities to follow NOAA COVID-19 safety protocols (social distancing, wearing face coverings, etc.), and they will occur outside of our normal work hours and on our own time.  Jenn Daniel (one of our Southern Region team leaders) has put together a list of COVID-19 safe volunteer activities.  If you have some others, please let us know and we would be glad to add them to the list.

A summary of this year's activities can be found at the following link.

What activities are permissible?

While the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the only authorized solicitation of employees in the Federal workplace on behalf of charitable organizations, CFC regulations do permit Federal employees to do the following activities this autumn:

1. Any volunteer activities are acceptable and encouraged; however; employees must conduct their volunteer activity outside of working hours.  If on work time, the participants must use AL, CT, or credit hours.  Offices cannot offer free time to participate in any of these activities. 
2. Collection drives are allowed.  However, if you share the building with another agency, get approval from the building manager first.
3. We cannot accept cash, checks, or gift card donations! 
4. Like in 2020, we will allow virtual food drives.  However, these guidelines must be followed:
   • They can not involve either the community or partners (no donations allowed from anyone other than NWS employees). The NWS cannot promote one food pantry/animal shelter over another.
   • All monetary donations have to be given directly to the food pantry/animal shelter (either online or in-person). No individual NWS employee can collect any money/checks and then donate it for the office.
   • For those who want to keep track of their office's monetary donations, you can use a Google Sheet or something similar.  However, you cannot keep track of those who made donations or collect email addresses.
5. Food collection competitions between offices are allowed as long as the winning office is in name only.  You can join the NWS Autumn Service October Food Drive at https://bit.ly/3AV0SMq.  If that shortened link does not work, use the main link. This competition is being run by Kari Fleegel and you can conduct it during any 31-day period during meteorological autumn.
6. Charity runs/walks can be done as long as it is done on your own time and no government resources are used.
7. Fitness challenges can be done between offices; however, each person participating must contribute to CFC on their own and to a charity of their choice.
8. Also, consider inviting your partners (i.e. Integrated Warning Team members) to participate in your activity.  This can help build comradery and have a bigger impact on your community.  Note: This might not be possible under COVID-19 protocols.

If you have any questions on whether any other activity is permissible, e-mail Jeff Boyne and he will gladly check with NOAA's Ethic Law & Programs Division for you. 

COVID-19 Safe Volunteer Activities

With some outbreaks still occurring, here is a list of some "COVID-safe" activities.   If you have some others, please let us know and we would be glad to add them to the list.

• Food/School Supply/Book/Pet Supply Drive (2023 NWS Food Drive Competition - For a change this year, you can conduct it for any 31-day period during meteorological autumn.)
• Toiletry/sock drive for a local homeless shelter
• Hope Totes - given to Salvation Army, includes a roll of paper towels, a roll of toilet paper, cleaning spray or soap, non-perishable food
• Bedtime Bag (new pj's and a book in a bag for kids in homeless or women's shelters)
• Operation Shoebox
• Participate in a Virtual Race for Charity (St. Jude, Alzheimer's Association, etc.)
• Give Blood
• Meals on Wheels
• Deliver greeting cards to the elderly and shut-ins
• Knit/crochet caps/blankets for NICU
• Hold a Virtual Visit with Assisted Living
• Donate toys/movies to local children's hospital
• Sew masks to give to homeless/women's shelters
• Clean-up a park 
• Adopt-a-Highway

Other Volunteer Opportunities:

During the past 12 years, the most popular activities have been:

1. Collection drives for food pantries, soldiers, animal shelters, abuse shelters (supplies and clothing), and school supplies (always needed throughout the school year)
2. Volunteering at food pantries
3. Serving food at soup kitchens and Ronald McDonald House
4. Cleaning up our environment (parks, rivers, along roads, etc.)

Below are links to various organizations that need volunteers:

Contacts: 
 

Activities Report:

The activities are broken into 3 categories in the report:

1. Collection Drive - Collected food, clothes, books, items for soldiers, school supplies, etc.
2. Volunteer Activities - Helped out at a food bank, served food at Soup Kitchen, cleaned up your community, etc.
3. Other Activities - Participated in a run/walk for a charity, Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), etc.

Please use this link to enter what your office did during the NWS Autumn of Service. 

Note:  In order to supply information, you must log in or be already logged into your government Gmail account.  This form works best in Chrome & Firefox browsers. 

If you took photos, you can upload them at the end of the report.  Please have your CWA identifier in the file name.  You can also either e-mail them to your regional contact or directly upload your photos here 

At the end of the form, please make sure that you select the "submit" button at the end of the form. 

Previous Weeks/Seasons:

• 2011 - September 25 through October 1, 2011
• 2012 - September 30 through October 6, 2012
• 2013 - September 29 through October 5, 2013
              (due to the shutdown some offices did their activities through Thanksgiving which was November 28th) 
• 2014 - September 28 through October 4, 2014
• 2015 - September 27 through October 3, 2015
• 2016 - September 25 through October 1, 2016
• 2017 - September 24 through September 30, 2017
             (due to the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria the activity time period was extended into November)
• 2018 - September 30 through October 6, 2018
• 2019 - September 29 through October 5, 2019
• 2020 - September 1 through November 30, 2020
            (due to COVID-19 - we have changed it up and went with the entire autumn instead of just a week)
• 2021 - September 1 through November 30, 2021 - extended due to COVID-19 variants
• 2022 - September 1 through November 30, 2022 - extended due to COVID-19 variants
• 2023 - September 1 through November 30, 2023